The Family Business
by 2naley
Summary: Nathan and Haley take over their familie's business. Sorry, crappy summary but I don't want to give away too much just in the summary.
1. Chapter 1

**Here is a new story. I hope you guys enjoy this one as well. Just a couple things you should know: Dan/Deb are Nathan's parents. Lucas is Keith and Karen's son. Keith and Dan are brothers making Nathan and Lucas cousins not brothers. ****I think that's all-everything else is explained throughout the story. Happy reading!**

Dan Scott and Jimmy James met during their freshman year at UCLA. They met during a business class and instantly became friends. They both shared a dream of starting their own companies. They partnered up and decided to start a business together. A business which proved to be extremely successful. Their business expanded globally resulting in a multi-million dollar profit. During their sophomore year at UCLA, they both married their girlfriends, Deb and Lydia. Once graduation was over, the two couples settled in Dan's hometown of Tree Hill, North Carolina. They agreed on that destination because they felt it was a perfect place to raise a family. Dan and Deb were the first to get pregnant. In 1986, they had their first and only child-a son, Nathan. Jimmy and Lydia were quick to follow. About a year after Nathan was born, they had their first and only child-a daughter, Haley James. Throughout the years, both Nathan and Haley showed an interest in the company in the future. The four adults were thrilled with this, because they all agreed they wanted to keep the company within the family and within the family only. Once the company is released, Nathan and Haley will each own a portion of the company-fifty/fifty. There were some other provisions to ownership as well. For one thing, they both had to be at least twenty-three years of age before it was handed to them. The second was that they both had to obtain their business degrees. They could study and earn degrees in other areas of study as well, but a business degree was a must. They both quickly agreed to the terms, because they understood how important this company meant to both of their families. It was also important to the two of them.

The one comman concern their parents shared was the relationship between their son and daughter. Nathan and Haley had the type of relationship where they didn't hate each other but didn't like each other. They simply tolerated each other. Nathan was more extroverted. In high school, he was king of the school. He was captian of the basketball team and had all the guys wanting to be like him and all the girls wanting to be with him. He liked to party and go out with his friends. He was also notoriously known for being a manwhore in the lack of a better word. He slept with any and all willing girls. His behavior still remains the same now. Haley was more introverted. In high school, she wasn't exactly popular. She was not unpopular or anything, she was just more quiet and shy. She was extremely intelligent and tutored other students in her spare time. She was valedictorian of her graduating class. Even now in college, she would be graduating Magna Cum Lada once her final semester was complete at Stanford Universary. She has also always vowed to save herself until she was married. Her virginity was a big deal to her, and she wanted her first time to be meaningful and special. Their personalities simply didn't parallel one another. Their parents worried their relationship would affect the company in the future. Once both their children were away at college, they came together to discuss how to keep that from happening. After many ideas, Dan came up with one they all quickly agreed to and were happy with. In fact, it has been a dream of both Deb's and Lydia's since Haley was born. The couples made their provisions and cemented them into their wills. They agreed to disclose the new terms on Nathan's twenty-fifth birthday.

* * *

"Welcome home, Miss James." The driver greeted Haley at the airport.

"It's good to be home, Danny!" Haley exclaimed pulling the middle-aged man into a hug.

"Please, Miss James, you know how much I hate it when you call me that." He complained.

"Really? Well, you seem to have forgotten that I hate to be called Miss James." She retorted jokingly.

"Well, I do work for you." He stated.

"First of all, you work for my parents. And second of all, you know you're more than just an employee-you're family. I know we haven't seen one another since Christmas, but I think we can skip the formalities. It's Haley, Daniel." She said with a smile.

"It's wonderful having you home, Haley." He said hugging the petite girl. "So, how was your flight?" He asked as the two got situated in the car and began the journey home.

That was the thing with the Scott's and the James'. Part of their success was due to their hospitality. They were two of the wealthiest families in the world, yet they never forgot their roots. They treated their employees of both their company and in their homes with courtesy. The families were well-known for their politeness and generosity. And they were well-respected for it.

* * *

"Haley James, my beautiful baby girl!" Lydia exclaimed embracing her daughter in a tight hug. "Oh, I'm so excited you're home." She continued.

"Me, too, mom. Where's dad?" Haley asked once out of her mother's embrace.

"He and Dan had a budget meeting. You know-the usual." Lydia answered as Haley nodded her head in understanding. "So, what's on the agenda today? How about we go grab some lunch at Karen's and then do some shopping." Lydia suggested.

"I love you, mom, but I'm kind of tired. I think I'm going to go take a nap." Haley stated.

"Okay, fair enough. Oh, my baby's home!" Lydia exclaimed once again as she led Haley to her old bedroom. Once alone, Haley looked around. "It's good to be home." She stated smiling as she sat down on her bed.

A few hours later, Haley awoke and headed down the stairs. She heard laughter coming from the family room and headed that direction. She went in and saw her mom and Deb sitting on the couch conversing. "Haley!" Lydia exclaimed.

"Haley, it's so wonderful to see you. You are even more beautiful than before. We're all happy you're home." Deb said pulling her into a hug.

"Me, too. So, how's everything going around here?" Haley asked as Deb made her way back over to the couch. "Can't complain too much. But enough about us, come sit down and tell us all about Stanford." Deb answered.

"Oh, it was so..."

"What's up, Praley?" Nathan interrupted walking into the room.

"Nice to see you, too, Nathan. And stop calling me that." She warned.

"Why? It defines everything about you." He said smugly.

"You're a jerk. Mom, I'm going to go take a shower. Deb, it was wonderful seeing you again. I'll see you guys later." She said turning to leave the room. She glared at Nathan before disappearing out of sight.

"Nathan, can't you at least try to be civil with Haley? She just got home, and you're already starting in on her." Deb said.

"It's just some harmless fun." He retorted innocently.

"Nathan, go tell my daughter that we're all going out to dinner tonight." Lydia ordered laughing.

"Sure thing, Mrs. J." He said walking away.

Nathan made it into Haley's bedroom and noticed her missing. He heard her bathroom shower running and decided to lie down and wait. A few minutes passed before the shower turned off. He sat up on the bed just as the door opened. Haley walked out in just a towel. "What do you want, Nathan?" She asked annoyed at seeing his presense.

"I thought we could have a quicky before dinner." He stated. She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Get out, Nathan." She ordered.

"Sure thing, Praley. Be ready by seven." He said going to stand in front of her and leaning down. "By the way, you look amazing all wet. Welcome home." He whispered in her ear before kissing her on the forehead and leaving the bedroom.

"Jackass." Haley muttered once he was gone.

* * *

"Where's my cousin? I thought the two of you were attached at the hip." Nathan commented. Nathan's cousin, Lucas, is the same age as Haley. Lucas and Haley have been best friends for as long as Nathan could remember. They have similar personalities and share the same interest. Most people in high school thought the two were dating. Even Nathan often wondered if they were. They were inseperable. They even decided to attend Stanford together.

"He should be home tomorrow night. He's bringing his girlfriend with him." Haley answered.

"Girlfriend, huh. Damn, I didn't know you were into threesomes." He commented.

"God, you're such a pig. And for the last time, there's nothing going on between me and Lucas. I know it's hard for you to grasp the concept of being just friends, but it is possible." She said exasperated.

"Oh, I understand being just friends with a girl-just as long as there's a little action on the side. Speaking of, when do we become friends?" He smirked at her.

"Sick." She scoffed before quickening her pace. He couldn't help but chuckle. He loved getting her all riled up. It was all innocent. They've known each other literally their whole lives. He can't lie-Haley is an extremely gorgeous woman. Hell, he even thought she was probably the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen, but there was no attraction between the two of them on either side. They were much too different to feel that spark.

* * *

Haley, Lucas, and Brooke were enjoying a night out at Tric. Lucas and Brooke arrived early that morning. The two rested during the day and agreed to meet Haley later on in the evening. There was a new band performing that they all wanted to hear. "Well, well...if it isn't my cousin sitting alongside his two girlfriends." A voice sounded interrupting their conversation. Haley rolled her eyes at the sound of his voice. "Nate, hey man, it's so good to see you." Lucas greeted standing up to give his cousin a quick hug.

"It's good seeing you, too, man." Nathan greeted.

"Hey, there's someone I would like you to meet." Lucas said turning back to the table. "Nate, this is my girlfriend, Brooke Davis. Brooke, this is my cousin, Nathan Scott." He introduced. Nathan extended his hand to her. "It's nice meeting you, Brooke." He greeted.

"Nathan Scott-I've heard all about you." She said shaking his hand.

"Really? Let me assure you, everything's all true." He smirked taking a seat next to Haley. "Hey, Praley." He greeted.

"Hey, manwhore." She retorted. "So, Nathan, what brings you here tonight? Couldn't find a bleach-blonde bimbo to spend the evening with." She continued.

"Actually, I was hoping it could just be you and me tonight, baby. What do you say?" He asked running his fingers down her arm seductively.

"Get your nasty, disease-infected fingers off of me." She warned while squeezing his fingers in her hand making him pull them back quickly. "Damn it, Praley. That hurt." He whined.

"Don't touch me, then." She warned.

"Okay, what's the deal with 'Praley'?" Brooke asked.

"It's just a little nickname I created which describes Haley perfectly. It's the combination of prude and Haley." He answered cocking a smile over to Haley as he, Lucas, and Brooke all laughed. "See, Praley, it's funny." He commented.

"Yeah, it's hilarious." Haley deadpanned.

"So, how did you two meet?" Nathan asked Lucas and Brooke changing the subject.

"Actually, through Haley. Brooke attended the Universary of San Fransisco. She worked at a bar downtown. Haley sang there every other weekend and..." Lucas began.

"You sang at a bar." Nathan said in disbelief.

"Is that so hard to believe?" Haley asked.

"Umm, yeah." He answered.

"Anyway, she begged me to come one night. She was singing, and she also said there was a girl who was apparently perfect for me. So, I went and met Brooke. And two years later, here we are." Lucas finished.

"Wow, I'm happy for you. What is it that you do, Brooke?" Nathan asked.

"I design clothes. I'm trying to start my own clothing line, and Haley has been gracious enough to help me out the passed couple of years." Brooke answered.

"Aww, how sweet." Nathan said sarcastically.

"Yeah. You see, unlike you, I like to help others." Haley retorted as Nathan rolled his eyes.

"So, Haley was telling me about your familie's company. Do you two really get ownership?" Brooke asked.

"Yup." Haley answered.

"How is that going to work exactly? Are you each going to handle specific parts of it or what?" Brooke asked interested.

"No, we're going to split ownership fifty/fifty. We'll both own a portion, but we'll make the decisions together." Haley answered.

"You two-together?" Brooke asked skeptically.

"Hey, it will work out fine. If there's one thing we agree on, it's the company. We'll make it work." Nathan spoke up with an encouraging smile which Haley reciprocated. Brooke cocked an eyebrow as she watched the exchange. "Interesting." She mumbled.

"It doesn't really matter anyway. We don't take ownership until our parents decide to step down or pass away. I don't really see either of those things happening anytime soon, so we don't have to think too much about it right now." He continued.

**Okay, there you go. I hope you like it so far. Let me know what you guys think. Hopefully, I'll have another chapter up soon. Until then!**


	2. Chapter 2

_The country comes together today to mourn the loss of two prominent business tycoons. The streets in Tree Hill are filled with sad faces due to the loss of Dan Scott and Jimmy James. As well as Lydia James, wife of Jimmy James. Deb Scott, wife of Dan Scott, still remains in a coma at Tree Hill Memorial. News on her recovery still remains unknown. The funeral for Dan Scott, Jimmy James, and Lydia James will begin at 1:00 P.M._

_

* * *

_

**Three Days Earlier**

"So, how are things going in Tree Hill?" Dan asked Nathan.

"You know-the same. Hanging out with friends, bugging Haley...the usual." He answered.

"Nathan, leave that poor girl alone. You know we expect you to look out for her. She's a young, vulnerable woman." Dan began but was quickly cut off by his son. "Dad, you know it's all good fun. I would never let anything happen to her." He stated.

"I know. I guess I just worry about the both of you. She's like a daughter to me just like you're like a son to the Jimmy and Lydia. We're a family-we stick together." Dan said.

"I know." Nathan stated. "Anyway, what time are you guys heading back here?" He asked.

"Around nine. Your mother and Lydia are out shopping right now, and you know how that always goes. I'm sure we'll be delayed at least a couple of hours." Dan stated.

"Okay, well, I'll let you go. See ya when you get home, dad." Nathan said before ending the phone call.

* * *

"Brooke's a great catch, Lucas. It seems pretty serious between the two of you. When does she go back to California?" Nathan asked while he and Lucas were eating and catching up at the cafe.

"It is serious-really serious. She's moving here. We've actually been house hunting all week." Lucas admitted.

"Wow, that's great. I'm happy for you-the both of you." Nathan said.

"So, what about you? When are you ever going to settle down?" Lucas asked his cousin.

"You know me, Luke. I'm not exactly the settling down type." Nathan answered.

"So, you're saying you never want to get married and have kids." Lucas asked skeptically.

"Yeah, someday. But, I'm only twenty-four. I've got plenty of time before I have to start thinking about that stuff. In the meantime, I'm quite content playing the field." Nathan responded.

"Haley's right-you truly are a manwhore." Lucas stated as the two laughed. Before Nathan could formulate a response, his cell phone rang. "Hello. This is Nathan." He greeted. Lucas watched with worry as his cousins face paled and dropped. He also thought for sure he saw tears glistening in his eyes. "No, umm, I, umm...I understand. Thank you." Nathan stammered before slowly ending the call. He sat there staring at the phone in his hands. "Nathan, what's wrong? What happened?" Lucas asked concerned. Nathan didn't say anything. He just continued staring at his phone. "Nathan!" Lucas yelled catching his attention as he finally looked up to him. "What happened?" Lucas asked again.

"You, umm, should probably go see Haley." Nathan stated quietly.

"What? Why?" Lucas asked confused.

"Lucas, you need to go check on Haley." Nathan said sternly.

"Okay." Lucas said standing up. "Are you going to be okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine. Just go make sure Haley's okay." Nathan responded. Lucas nodded and put a hand on Nathan's shoulder before making his way out of the cafe.

Seventeen minutes later, Nathan was sitting in the waiting room at Tree Hill Memorial. He stared at the floor with his head in his hands. He heard the sound of feet running through the halls. He didn't have to look up to know who's they belonged to. Once they got closer, he looked up and the sight he saw almost broke his heart. He immediately stood up as she went rushing into his arms crying. "Have you heard anything yet?" She managed to mumble out through the tears. "Not yet." He whispered gently stroking her hair. His Uncle Keith, Aunt Karen, Lucas, and Brooke stood off to the side with solemn looks spread across their faces. "Mr. Scott?" A voiced sounded. They turned their attention to the doctor standing in front of them. "Yeah, what's going on?" Nathan asked.

"I'm sorry, but the damage was extremely severe. Your mom was rushed into surgery. There were complications, and she's now in a coma." The doctor said.

"Okay, what does that mean? I mean, I know what it means, but what are the odds that she'll wake up?" Nathan asked.

"Honestly, I'm not sure. If I had to make a guess today, I'm afraid it doesn't look too good. But we're monitering her vitals closely, and we'll keep you up-to-date." The doctor explained.

"What about my dad?" Nathan asked.

"I'm sorry, Nathan. The damage was so extensive when he was brought in-he's still holding on, but only because of life support." He explained.

"What are his odds?" Nathan asked trying to take it all in.

"Not good-not good at all. The only reason he's still breathing right now is because he's connected to life support. I'm sorry, Nathan." The doctor said. Nathan felt Haley tighten her hold around him in support. He took a couple minutes before he asked the next dreaded question he knew Haley was too scared to ask. "What about Jimmy and Lydia James?" Haley let go of Nathan and turned to face the doctor awaiting his answer.

"I'm truly sorry, Miss James, your parents didn't make it." The doctor revealed sympathetically. Haley processed his words before sinking down to the floor hysterically crying. Lucas immediately knelt down next to her pulling her into his arms. Nathan turned the other direction as he felt the tears he's been holding in fall.

* * *

_The country comes together today to mourn the loss of two prominent business tycoons. The streets in Tree Hill are filled with sad faces due to the loss of Dan Scott and Jimmy James. As well as Lydia James, wife of Jimmy James. Deb Scott, wife of Dan Scott, still remains in a coma at Tree Hill Memorial. News on her recovery still remains unknown. The funeral for Dan Scott, Jimmy James, and Lydia James will begin at 1:00 P.M._

Nathan stood in front of his mirror finishing his tie. The passed three days, he had effectively locked himself either in his home or at his mother's bedside. Friends, family, business associates, as well as others stopped by to pay their condolences. He was full of gratitude and pride at the numerous amounts of people who visited, but he couldn't help but be tired of it. All he wanted was to be alone and sort out his feelings. He hadn't seen much of Haley the passed three days. He knows she's taking it extremely hard which is to be expected. He often contemplated visiting her but couldn't seem to find the strength to do so. He didn't know what to say to her. He didn't have the right words. How could he? His thoughts were broken by a soft knock at his bedroom door. He turned and noticed Lucas standing in the doorway. "Hey, Nate, how are you holding up?" Lucas asked.

"I've been better, I guess." Nathan answered.

"Look, I know you're dealing with a lot yourself, but I kind of need your help." Lucas said.

"What's up, Luke?" Nathan asked.

"It's Haley. She's not doing so well, Nate. She's locked herself in her bedroom. She won't come out. She hasn't eaten anything in three days. I'm really worried about her. And I went by there awhile ago to help her get ready for the funeral. She yelled to me that she's not going. I just...I don't know what to do." Lucas revealed concerned.

"I'll take care of it. Go ahead and go. I'm sure your dad wants you with him right now. I promise, I will take care of Haley." Nathan stated.

"Thanks, Nate. I guess, I'll see you later." Lucas said before leaving. Nathan took another look at himself in the mirror before quickly making his way out of his house. He travelled across the street and walked straight through the house. Before long, he made it to her door and knocked. Receiving no answer, he knocked again louder. "Go away." Her voice sounded from the opposite side.

"Haley, it's Nathan." He said.

"I don't care. Go away." She called.

"Haley, open the door." He demanded. He waited and heard nothing. He went down to the kitchen, grabbed a few items, and made his way back to her door. He messed around with the lock before hearing it unlatch. He opened the door and saw her laying in bed. She looked terrible-her eyes were all bloodshot and had dark circles underneath them. "Just go away, Nathan." She said.

"No, get up. Get in the shower. And get dressed. You're going to that funeral." He said sternly.

"No, I'm not." She said stubbornly. He watched as she made no move to get out of bed. He walked determinely over to the bed, pulled back the covers, and literally picked her up out of the bed. He flung her over his shoulders and headed to the bathroom. "Put me down. Nathan, I'm not kidding. Put me down right now!" She warned.

"No. I'm not kidding either. You're going to this funeral." He said as he stopped in the bathroom. He turned around and locked them inside. He turned on the shower before setting her down. He noticed the fire in her eyes. "I'm not scared of you, Haley. Now, are you going to get undressed or do you need me to do that as well?" He stated.

"Why are you doing this, Nathan? I don't want to go. I can't go." She cried.

"Haley, you're never going to forgive yourself if you miss this. Believe me, I understand exactly what you're going through. I don't want to go either, but we have to." He responded.

"I can't-it will feel too real if I go." She said as the tears strolled down her cheeks. She felt Nathan brushing the tears away with his thumbs. She couldn't help but lean into his touch for comfort. "It is real, Hales." He began softly. "I know this is hard and feels like a dream, but it's not. You're strong enough to get through this, though. We're going to get through this. You and me-together. Okay?" He said sincerely. He felt her petite figure embrace him as her arms wrapped around his back tightly. "Thank you, Nathan." She said.

"You're welcome. So, do you think you can take a shower?" He asked as she nodded her head weakly. "Good, because you kind of smell." He stated as she let out a small laugh. He winked at her before making his way out of the bathroom. He went to her closet in search of something to wear. He couldn't help but feel ridiculous. He didn't know what to pick out for her. He searched before settling on a classic black dress and found a simple black cardigan to throw over it. He layed the outfit on her bed before heading down the stairs. Minutes later, he heard her heels clicking against the hardwood floors. He looked up and saw her making her way into the living room completely dressed. "Thanks for picking some clothes out for me." She said.

"You're welcome." He said walking over to her. "You ready?" He asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." She answered quietly as he nodded his head in understanding. He kissed her lightly on the forehead, took her hand, and led her outside. They climbed into the waiting limo and made the journey. The ride to the church was quiet with neither wanting to speak. Haley sat closely to Nathan as he kept his arm around her throughout the whole drive.

* * *

Both the funeral and the burial went smoothly-as well as an event like that can go. After, everyone headed over to Nathan's parents house. There was no way Haley could handle anything like that, so he got his household employees together and asked them to prepare some food and drinks. He asked them to keep it simple and light. He knew they were still dealing with the loss as well. They were a part of their family. He told them to come join everyone once everything was prepared. They could have the rest of the day off.

Nathan looked around for any sign of Haley. He hadn't seen her in awhile and was worried she snuck out. He walked around the house before finding her sitting on the couch in the back family room. She was looking down at something in her hands. He made his way over to her and noticed it was a photo album of one the trips their two families took together. "Haley." He said softly. She jumped a bit before settling down noticing it was just him. "I'm sorry for scaring you. What are you doing in here?" He asked.

"I guess just remembering happy times. I'm sorry, Nathan, but I can't be around all of those people right now. I'm too exhausted to deal with everyone." She stated.

"Haley, why don't you go up to my room and take a nap? I'll make sure nobody bothers you, okay?" He suggested. She nodded as he helped her up and led her up to his bedroom. Once inside, she immediately climbed into the bed. As soon as she closed her eyes, she was fast asleep. He pulled the covers around her before shutting out the light and leaving the room.

A couple hours later, most people were gone except close family members. Nathan and Lucas were currently cleaning up. The staff said they could take care of it, but Nathan insisted they take the rest of the week off. Shortly later, they heard someone walking into the kitchen. They looked over and saw Haley. "Hey, how are you feeling?" Lucas asked hugging her.

"I'm feeling better. Thank, Nathan." She answered. He nodded his head while he was digging for something in the refigerator. It was seconds later, he placed a plate of food down on the counter in front of her. "What's this?" She asked.

"It's called food. It's for you." He answered.

"I'm not really that hu..."

"You're going to eat it, Haley. You need to eat something." He ordered. She smiled knowing he really would force the food down her throat. She nodded at him before sitting down to eat.

* * *

Nathan was making his way into the living room for some much needed relaxation. Everyone was gone except for Haley. Brooke had brought her some more comfortable clothes to change into. She went up to his bedroom to change. He was discarding his tie when he heard voices in the living room. He walked in and saw Haley arguing with their familie's lawyer. "What's going on?" He asked.

"Mr. Scott, I need to speak with you about your parents' will." The man answered.

"No, you have to leave. I can't deal with this right now. I don't want to think about anything more today." Haley cried.

"Micheal, I don't think now is a good time." Nathan said softly.

"I understand, but this is not something..."

"God, just go away! Get out!" Haley yelled.

"Please, I really..." He was interrupted when Nathan grabbed him gently and pushed him out of the room. "Look, now is not the right time. Haley is a mess right now, and she is not in the right mind to deal with her parent's will." Nathan said.

"I understand, and I do apologize for the timing. But this is very important. And it is imperative that I speak with both you and Miss James soon-very soon." Micheal said.

"Okay, give us today. I'll see if she's feeling better tomorrow, and I will call you. Okay?" Nathan suggested.

"Okay, Mr. Scott." Micheal said before leaving. Nathan sighed before making his way back into the living room. Haley turned to him, "I'm sorry I reacted that way. I just can't handle any more today." She apologized.

"It's okay. We can deal with it tomorrow. How about we get some really bad junk food and watch movies all night." He suggested.

"Yeah, that sounds nice." She answered.

He came back shortly later with his hands full of snacks. They settled down comfortably on the couch and began watching some movies. "So, you want to head over to the lawyer's office tomorrow?" Nathan asked halfway through the movie.

"Yeah. He did sound really serious." Haley answered.

"It's probably just about the company. As of now, it looks like you and I own it." He stated looking at her.

"Wow, I guess so. I haven't given much thought about the company." She replied.

"You ready?" He asked.

"Yeah, I think so. Are you ready?" She asked.

"I've been ready for years." He answered. "So, we'll go over there tomorrow and see what he has to say. I highly doubt it's about anything else." He finished as she nodded in agreement.

**There you go. I hope you are all still enjoying this story. Thank you so much for your reviews. It's always wonderful to hear feedback. And thank you to those who aren't reviewing but still reading this story. ****I wanted to show the other side to Nathan and Haley's relationship as well. They've known each other for years, and while they aren't exactly friends, they still protect each other because of their families. ****I hope to have another chapter up soon. And for those reading Never Forgotten-I haven't forgotten about that story. An update will be up later on Sunday evening. ****Until next time!**


	3. Chapter 3

"Thanks for coming by today Mr. Scott and Miss James." Their lawyer said as the three of them sat down in his office.

"You're welcome. And please, I'm Nathan. She's Haley." Nathan said as Haley nodded in agreement.

"Before we begin, I do want to extend my deepest sympathies for both of your losses. Your parents were the best clients I ever had, and they were wonderful people." He stated sincerely.

"Thank you." Haley said quietly.

"Okay, so I'm assuming you know a little as to why I wanted to speak with the both of you." He said.

"The company." Nathan answered.

"Yes. As you know, there are some provisions that must be met before full ownership is taken." Micheal began.

"Well, they're all met except for one of them. But that one will be complete next month. That's when I'll turn twenty-three." Haley answered.

"Not exactly." Micheal corrected. Nathan and Haley both looked at each other and then back to him confused. "What do mean 'not exactly'?" Nathan asked.

"There are a few more provisions before the two of you can obtain ownership." Micheal revealed cautiously.

"I don't understand." Nathan said.

"Your parents added some more provisions once you two were away at college. They were going to be revealed to you on Nathan's twenty-fifth birthday. But the circumstances have changed and must be revealed now." Micheal answered.

"Okay, so what are the new provosions?" Haley asked.

"Well, their wills indicate that you two must get married." Micheal revealed slowly already expecting their reaction. It was silent for a few seconds before the two burst out in laughter. "That was good, Micheal." Nathan said as they continued laughing. "I'm not joking. I would never joke about something this serious." Micheal stated.

"What!" Both Nathan and Haley exclaimed. "To each other?" Haley asked as he nodded.

"I'm sorry, but there must be some kind of mistake." Nathan said still in disbelief.

"I understand this is a lot to take in, but there is no mistake. Your parents wanted to ensure that the company stays within your two families only. The only way to do so was for the two of you to get married." Micheal answered.

"There has to be some kind of loop-hole or some way around this." Nathan said.

"I apologize, but there is no way out of this. Your parents were very clear and very precise with the details. I'm sorry." Micheal apologized. Nathan ran his hands over his face in frustration before turning his attention back to the lawyer. "So, what happens if we don't get married?" He asked.

"You'll both lose the company." Micheal answered. An uncomfortable silence stumbled into the room.

"Okay. Okay, this is what we'll do." Nathan began turning to Haley. "We'll get married, obtain ownership, and then, after a couple of months, we'll just get divorced." He said.

"Okay, I...I guess that will work." Haley hesitantly agreed. She truly believed in the sanctity of marriage and didn't believe in divorce, and she didn't want to marry someone she didn't love. On the flip side, she definitely didn't want to give up her rights to the company.

"Okay, we'll do that." Nathan said.

"Umm, I'm afraid it's not that simple." The lawyer jumped in.

"Why?" Nathan asked.

"Well, there are also some provisions to the marriage." He answered.

"Of course there are." Nathan said rolling his eyes. "What are they?" He asked.

"Well, the two of you must stay married for at least five years or ownership will autimatically be revoked." Micheal answered.

"Damn it! Is there anything else?" Nathan asked.

"Yes. It also appears that you must become pregnant before sometime during those five years of marriage." He answered.

"What? No, no, that can't be right." Haley said.

"I'm sorry, but it is." He said. Haley looked over to Nathan. Nathan could tell she was close to freaking out. Truthfully, he wasn't that far behind her. "Micheal, we're going to need some time to process and discuss this." He stated.

"I understand." Micheal said.

* * *

_What will happen to JOTTS DIST now that Dan Scott and Jimmy James are no longer running it? It is well-known that the company would be passed along to their children Nathan Scott and Haley James. But are they ready to take ownership? They're both still very young-fresh out of college. Will they be able to handle all aspects that come along with running a multi-million dollar company? We're skeptical but only time will tell._

Haley angrily turned off the television. "Who do they think they are? Nathan and I are perfectly capable to handling this company. We could run it in our sleep. They're making it sound like we're completely incompetant. Hello, I have a 4.0. And Nathan isn't exactly an idiot. Sure, he's not as smart as me, but he's very smart when it comes to business. I mean, seriously, the two of us are the only ones who would know how to handle this company. We grew up in this company. It's in our family. It's our damn company!" She rambled frustrated while pacing the floor.

"Okay, no more coffee for you." Brooke stated while carefully pulling the cup out of Haley's hand. "Sweetie, why don't you come take a seat beside me." She suggested. Haley hesitantly sat down next to her on the couch. "Okay, now take a deep breath." She continued. Haley did as Brooke said. "Okay, now why don't we talk about what's really going on in that head of yours." Brooke said.

"I don't know if I can do this, Brooke. I just, I can't believe my parents would do this to me. They know how I feel about marriage and stuff. And they know how I feel about Nathan. I don't love him, and I don't want to marry him." Haley cried.

"Okay, before I'm going to say what I'm about to say, I want you to know that I agree with you that this is very unfair and wrong of your parents to do this to you and Nathan." Brooke began.

"But?" Haley said.

"I kind of understand why your parents did what they did." Brooke said cautiously.

"What? How could you agree with them?" Haley asked incredulously.

"First of all, I never said I agree. I said I understand-kind of." Brooke corrected as Haley looked to her waiting for her to continue. "Okay, I just think your parents wanted to ensure that the business was taken care of properly. You and Nathan don't have the best relationship. I think they were just worried your constant bickering would jeoperdize the company in the future whether you two intended to do so or not. They were just trying to protect it." She explained.

"What about protecting me? I'm their daughter. Shouldn't they care about my feelings? What about what's right for me? Don't they want me to be happy and in love when I get married and have children?" Haley said.

"Of course they do, sweetie. You're parents loved you and wanted nothing but the best for you. And I'm not saying this as me saying it, but maybe they genuinely thought this was what's best for you. I believe they believed that you and Nathan have a future together and could be happy and in love." Brooke said softly.

"I just, I can't forgive them for this." Haley stated sadly.

"Haley, you want this company, don't you?" Brooke asked.

"Yes, more than anything." She answered.

"Okay. So, how badly do you want it? Because that's what this is about right now. You're not dating anyone. You're not in any serious kind of relationship. It's five years, Haley. And I know that sounds like an aweful long time, but it's really not if you're weighing it against losing your company completely. A company that your parents created. A company that was built by your family. A company that you are entitled to. That you deserve-nobody else. So, how badly do you want it?" Brooke asked as Haley listened intently.

"So, what are you going to do?" Lucas asked as he and Nathan were out at the rivercourt playing some one on one.

"About?" Nathan asked.

"Don't play dumb, Nate. I'm talking about the company-the marriage." Lucas said.

"I don't know. I've looked and looked for any kind of loop-hole or anything to get us out of this marriage, but our damn parents covered every single detail perfectly. You know, I even went to the hospital yesterday and yelled at my mom. My mom who's in a coma and can't respond. I yelled at her for doing this to me and Haley. I just, this is so frustrating. I don't want to marry Haley. I don't want to marry anyone right now. And, they seriously expect us to have a baby within five years. I'm not ready to have any kids. I wasn't planning on thinking about that until I was at least thirty. What the hell were they thinking?" Nathan said in frustration.

"I don't know. I'm just as shocked at this. I know Haley isn't taking the news too well either." Lucas commented.

"Yeah, Haley's freaking out." Nathan agreed.

"So, what are you going to do?" Lucas asked once again.

"I want this company, Luke. It's my company-mine and Haley's. It's ours, and we deserve every right to it." Nathan said.

"Even if it means the two of you getting married?" Lucas asked. Nathan hesitated before answering. "Yeah. I mean, it's five years. It'll fly by, right?"

"Yeah, I guess." Lucas agreed half-heartedly.

* * *

_Breaking news: Nathan Scott and Haley James engaged! The son and daughter of Dan Scott and Jimmy James have announced their sudden engagement earlier this week. Call me crazy-but when were these two even dating? It's been two weeks since the sudden deaths of the two prominent business men and since Nathan and Haley would be named the new co-owners of JOTTS DIST. Haley James arrived home from obtaining her degree at Stanford University just last month while Nathan Scott completed his degree from Duke University the previous year and has been living in Tree Hill since. There have never been any public pictures of the two of them together-at least linking them together romantically. We've seen them with their families but nothing more. And if they have been secretly seeing one another, I wonder if Haley knows all about Nathan's other relationships. And by other relationships, we mean sexual hook-ups. Nathan has never hidden his sexual promiscuity. We can only ask-how did this come about? Is this true love or is there some other unknown reason for this sudden engagement? Only time will tell._

"Haley, it's a fake wedding!" Nathan complained as they were going over wedding details.

"Nathan, it may be a fake wedding, but it's still my wedding. I don't want to be doing this any more than you do, but here we are. Hell, this may be my only chance of having a wedding. And I want it to be everything I dream of, even if we're going to get divorced in five years." Haley said.

"Seriously, Haley." Nathan said.

"Please, Nathan. This is important to me. Unlike you, my wedding means something to me. Every little girl fantasizes about their wedding day. It's the most important day of their lives. And, I know it's not real or genuine. I know we're not in love with each other, and we're only doing this for the company. But it's still happening whether we can stop it or not. Please, Nathan, just let me have this day." Haley pleaded. Nathan looked at her face and saw the sincerety within her eyes. He saw the way her eyes were glistening with tears and the way her voice choked up as she said these words.

"Okay, let's give you the wedding of your dreams." He relented. She jumped into him throwing her arms around his neck in excitement nearly knocking him over. "Thank you, Nathan. This means a lot to me." She said.

"So, what do I get in return?" He asked breaking out of the embrace.

"What do you want?" She asked. He looked her up and down before settling his eyes back on hers. "Yeah, you're never getting that." She stated scoffing.

"I don't know, Praley. According to our parents, you and I will be having a baby in a few of years. How else is that going to happen?" He asked smirking.

"Here's how that's going to happen-when the time comes, we will head down to Tree Hill Memorial where you'll do your thing in a little cup, and then, I'll get inseminated. Because guess what, you and I will never have sex with each other. We will not consumate this marriage, because as you said, it's not real. I've always wanted to save myself until I was in love, and that's exactly what I intend to do." She explained.

"You're joking, right?" He asked in desbelief.

"Do I look like I'm joking?" She asked seriously.

"You see-this is why I call you Praley." He retorted as she glared at him. "Do you really expect me to not have sex for five years? I can't do that. That's too long. I can't even last a week without having sex, and you expect me to go five years." He said incredulously.

"Yup. I guess you'll have to find some other way to scratch the itch. I foresee lots of cold showers in your future. And just how strong is your right hand?" She smirked before walking away. "Bitch." He mumbled once she was out of sight.

* * *

"Haley James, how's it going, girly?" Brooke asked as Haley walked into the doors to her new clothing store. Brooke found some investors interested in turning her designs into a clothing line, but she didn't have the amount of money they were asking for. Haley quickly intervened and put forth the money much to Brooke's protest. Haley told her she knows a good investment when she sees one. They're friends, and friends help each other in need. Haley told her she wouldn't take no for an answer, and if Brooke didn't take the money, she would take it to the investers herself. The line was picked up quickly and has had some pretty successful results. Brooke named her line, Clothes Over Bros-an old saying she and Haley used to say back in California all the time.

"I'm fine. And how are you, Brooke Davis?" Haley asked approaching the counter.

"Wonderful. How are the wedding plans coming along?" Brooke asked.

"Stressful, but good." Haley answered hesitantly.

"You're not having second thoughts, are you?" Brooke asked.

"I'm always having second thoughts, Brooke." Haley answered as Brooke gave her a sympathetic look. "Anyway, I'm here to ask you something." She continued.

"Shoot." Brooke said.

"Brooke Davis, will you do me the honor of being my made of honor?" Haley asked. She got her answer as Brooke squeeled and enveloped her in a tight embrace as the two girls fell to the floor. "I'm guessing that's a yes." She said.

"That's a hell yes! Oh, I'm so honored, thank you so much." Brooke said. They looked up from the floor when they heard the bell on the door chime.

"Well, well, what do you have here? A little girl on girl action. That's hot." Nathan commented as he and Lucas walked into the store. Lucas, Brooke, and Haley all rolled their eyes. Lucas put his hand out to help Brooke stand up from the floor as Haley made her way up. "Thanks for the help, jackass." She directed towards Nathan.

"Your legs didn't look broken. And lookie there, you stood up all by yourself. They work, it's a miracle." He stated as she scoffed before disappearing to the back. "Nathan, why are you such a jerk?" Brooke threw out quickly following her friend.

"Nathan, would it kill you just to try a little?" Lucas complained.

"I am trying, Luke. I'm giving her this stupid wedding that she's always wanted. What more should I do?" Nathan retorted.

"It's called acting like a gentleman. It's called treating her with respect and kindness." Lucas said.

"Why? This whole thing is just an act." Nathan said.

"You know what, I am so tired of hearing that. Yes, it's an act. No, it's not real. And, no, you and Haley don't love each other. But you both agreed to this for the sake of the company. So now, shut up and deal with it. It's happening whether you want it to or not. And by the way, you might want to put on your happy 'I'm totally in love with my fiance' face." Lucas said.

"Why?" Nathan asked confused.

"Because there are reporters standing outside the store waiting for the two of you." Lucas answered while pointing out the window. Nathan sighed and rolled his eyes. "I'm going to go talk to Haley." He said walking away hesitantly. Lucas rolled his eyes and focused his attention back to the reporters outside. "God, this is so messed up." He chuckled while shaking his head.

"Look, Haley, I'm sorry for acting the way I did." Nathan apologized once reaching the backroom spotting Haley and Brooke.

"It's okay, Nathan. It's who you are. I don't expect you to change just because we're getting married for all the wrong reasons." She said laughing. "Are you ready to go? We need to head over to the florist and pick out some flowers. I mean, you don't have to go if you don't want to. I know you don't care about this stuff. I can ask Brooke to go, or I'll just go by myself." She said.

"No, I'll go." He said.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"Yeah." He answered.

"Okay, let's go." She said making her way to the front of the store. She stopped when she felt his hand grab her arm. "Wait, there are some reporters outside waiting on the two of us." He said.

"Seriously? Can't they go back to stalking Britney or something?" She said tiredly.

"Apparently not." He commented.

"Okay, time to put on those happy faces." She said as the two made their way to the front of the store. "Hey, we're going to take off." She told Lucas and Brooke. They nodded their head and gave each other quick hugs. Nathan and Haley interlaced their hands with one another before walking outside immediately bombarded with questions and flashes of lights. They refused to answer any questions-just smiled and continued walking to Nathan's SUV. He protectively wrapped his arms around her bringing her closer into him as they approached the vehicle. He helped her in before climbing into the driver's side and pulling away. "You okay?" He asked once they were on the road.

"Yup, this is just the beginning." She said solemnly as he nodded his head in agreement.

It was well passed midnight when the two arrived back to Nathan's house. The wedding was happening the following Saturday leaving them very little time to prepare. They agreed to a simple wedding but knew it would be difficult with the whole world knowing every detail of the two families. Their sudden engagement was headline news right now. "Haley, I have something for you." Nathan stated as the two were sorting through the supplies.

"Okay. Should I be scared?" She asked with a small laugh.

"Depends how you look at it." He joked while heading to his parents bedroom. He came back shortly later with a small velvet jewelry box in his hands. Haley didn't know why, but she felt a wave of nervousness pass through her body when she noticed the item in his hands. "What's that?" She asked nervously.

"This ring was my grandma's engagement ring. It was passed to my mom, but she wanted to have her own engagement ring. But she did want to keep it within the family. She told me that when I get married, she wanted to pass it along to my wife. Now, like her, you are more than welcome to get your own engagement ring, but she still wanted to pass it along." He said while opening the box revealing a gorgeous 2 carot princess cut diamond ring with three diamonds embedded on each side of the band. Haley was speechless. The ring was simple but gorgeous. "Nathan, I can't accept this." She said.

"Yes, you can, Haley." He insisted.

"No, Nathan. This isn't even a real marriage. You should save this for the right person-for the person you fall in love with. I can't accept this. It should stay in your family." She said.

"Haley, you are family. And my mom would want you to have it-no one else. And if she was here right now, you know she would demand you take it. It's yours-even after we're divorced. It's yours to keep." He said. He knew she was still hesitating. He grabbed her hand gently and slid the ring onto her left ring finger. It fit her perfectly. He couldn't deny, the ring looked like it belonged there. They both stared down at her finger, no words being spoken. "Thank you, Nathan." She said almost inaudibly.

"Well, you needed a ring, right?" He said dismissing their little moment.

"Yeah." She said. "So, are you going to have yourself a little bachelor party?" She asked changing the subject.

"Luke said something about it. I'm all for it. I need a night of partying and being completely recklessness, before I'm tied down for the next five years. What about you?" He asked.

"Brooke's my maid of honor. What do you think?" She answered as they both laughed.

"What are you girls going to do?" He asked.

"I don't know. All I know is that she contacted a bunch of my old girlfriends from high school. And she asked me if there was any way she could use the company plane to transfer a few of our friends from California to town and back. I'm a little nervous. I have no idea what Brooke has in store." She answered.

"I say embrace it-you could use a night out." He said.

"What about you guys? What does Lucas have planned?" She asked hesitantly not sure if she wanted to know the answer.

"I think we're just going to hit up some bars." He answered.

"What-no strip clubs?" She said joking slightly.

"No, I don't like strip clubs." He answered.

"Oh, you're so full of it. You don't have to lie to me." She said laughing.

"I'm not. I seriously don't like strip clubs." He stated as she cocked an eyebrow at him skeptically. "Look, I may sleep around with a bunch of girls, but I do have some standards. I think strip clubs are dirty, and I would never pick up any women from one." He explained.

"Wow, I didn't know that." She commented shocked.

"There's a lot of aspects you don't know about me, Praley." He said making his way to stand right behind her so that his chest was pressed into her back as he moved his hands to her waist. "And I would be happy to show you every single one." He said seductively kissing her lightly on her neck.

"Get off of me, Nathan." She scolded turning around and roughly pushing him away causing him to fall to the floor. He started laughing hysterically. "Oh, lighten up, Praley. It's all good clean fun, but I could make it very, very dirty." He smirked at her as she rolled her eyes.

"I'm going home." She scoffed walking away.

"Hey, wait." He called quickly standing from the ground to catch up with her.

"What, Nathan, I'm tired. I'm not in the mood to listen to any more of your sexual innuendos." She stated tiredly.

"This isn't that. We need to talk about what we're going to do in terms of living together." He clearified.

"Oh, I didn't think about that. Well, what do you think?" She asked.

"I don't know. I mean, we have these two houses to choose from." He said. He watched her facial expressions and couldn't quite read the emotions that seemed to plague her. He had no idea what was going on in that head of hers. "How about we move into your parent's house?" He suggested hoping to get some sort of reaction from her. He sighed when all she did was slightly nod offering him a small smile. "So, you're okay with that?" He prodded.

"Yeah, it...it's great." She answered. "I'm really tired. I'm just going to go home. I'll see you tomorrow." She said making her way out of his house leaving him confused as to why she was acting the way she was.

* * *

"Hey, hotshot. What brings you here? Are you looking for Lucas, because he should be at home." Brooke said.

"Hey, Brooke. And no, I'm actually here to see you. I need to ask you something." Nathan said.

"Okay, shoot." She said.

"Okay, I talked to Haley last night about which house she wants us to live in, and she didn't really give me an answer. I suggested her parents, because I though that's what she would want, but she just kind of acted weird about the whole topic. I couldn't quite read what her facial expressions meant. Has she mentioned anything to you about this?" He asked.

"Nathan, Haley wants to have her own house." Brooke stated.

"Well, I know that. So do I, but the will states that we must live together. I..." He began.

"No, Nathan, she wants her own house. Meaning, she wants to own her own house. You know the lake that runs along the road?" She asked as he nodded. "Well, there's this piece of land that overlooks the lake. She's in love with this place. She said it has the most amazing view, and it's very secluded and relaxing. She told me before everything happened that she's always wanted to build a house there. She even designed the house herself and had blueprints made of it. She was going to hire people to start building it this summer." Brooke explained.

"Oh, I just assumed she wanted to stay at her parent's house. Why wouldn't she tell me?" He questioned.

"Because this is her dream not yours. And now you two are stuck living with one another for the next five years. She probably doesn't want you to give up your home because of something she wants." She stated.

"Brooke, I need your help with something." He stated.

* * *

"That's the one, Haley." Brooke gushed while staring at her friend. The two girls were currently at a bridal shop trying on wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses. They had already found Brooke's dress. It was a red strapless, knee-length dress. It was very classy and looked amazing on her. Now, they were trying to find "the one" for Haley.

"You think so." Haley said skeptically.

"Yes, you look beautiful. It's defines everything about you. It's perfect." Brooke assured. The dress really was amazing. It was simple but gorgeous-it was Haley. It was a strapless dress which was tight at her waist but flowed out slightly all the way down to the ground. The area around her breasts was the only part of the dress with some detail to it. The rest was simply, purely white oozing with elegance. "What do you think, Haley?" Brooke asked.

"I love it." Haley answered almost inaudibly.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" Brooke asked noticing the tears rolling down her cheek.

"My mom should be here for this. When I was younger, my mom and my dad remarried one another. They had a very simple ceremony with only close family, and the Scotts of course. Me and Deb stood up for my mom while Dan and Nathan stood up for my dad. Anyway, the three of us went dress shopping together at this bridal shop. We found her this beautiful white dress. Deb and I wore pale yellow halter top dresses. They were all so gorgeous. After we finished, my mom and Lydia thought it would be fun for me to try on some wedding dresses. So, I did. It was like playing dress up, and we were having a blast. Deb excused herself to go to the restroom leaving my mom and me standing in front of the mirror looking back at ourselves. She wrapped her arms around me and said, 'You're going to make a beautiful bride someday. And aside, from your actual wedding day, I look forward to this day the most. The day I get take my beautiful baby girl shopping to purchase her very own wedding dress.'" Haley finished wiping the fallen tears away.

"She is here, Haley. She is up in heaven looking down at this very moment right now, and she is smiling and probably flooding the streets or clouds or whatever there is in heaven with her tears. And do you know what she's thinking? She's thinking 'My beautiful baby girl is the most gorgeous bride I have ever seen.'" Brooke said taking ahold of Haley's hand.

"Thank you, Brooke." Haley said quietly pulling her friend into a tight embrace.

"So, have you made a decision yet?" The sales lady approached the two girls.

"Yes, we have. We will take this bridesmaid dress, and we are definitely taking this wedding dress." Brooke answered.

"Excellent choice. You make a beautiful bride. Congratulations once again on your engagement to Nathan Scott. He's quite the catch." The sales lady gushed before walking away.

"I think she has a little crush on your man, Hales." Brooke commented.

"He's not my man, but I think you're right." Haley agreed.

"I think I even saw some drool hanging from her mouth." Brooke said as Haley lightly shoved her as the two girls laughed.

"Okay, come help me get out of this thing. I'm hot, and I'm getting really hungry." Haley said pulling Brooke into the dressing room with her.

"So, are you and hotshot going on a honeymoon?" Brooke asked out of nowhere.

"No, why would we? We certainly don't need a honeymoon considering the marriage isn't real." Haley answered.

"I think you two should go on one anyway-somewhere warm and tropical." Brooke suggested.

"Why?" Haley asked confused.

"I think it would do you both some good to get away for awhile. You don't necessarily have to spend the whole time with each other. But you could still go and have a relaxing and fun time. You could use a nice tan, anyway. You're looking a little pale, Hales." Brooke said.

"Shut up, Brooke Davis." Haley said shoving her.

"I'm just saying." Brooke held up her hands in defense.

"You know, honestly, it would be nice to get away for awhile. The passed couple weeks have been draining." Haley admitted.

"And, I think it would look a little suspicious if you and Nathan didn't go on a honeymoon after the wedding. I say, go and relax. Put these last two weeks in the back of your mind and go somewhere nice and warm." Brooke said.

"Yeah. Maybe I'll talk to Nathan about it when I get home." Haley relented as Brooke smiled and finished opening the back of the dress. "Okay, I'm done. I'll let you finish dressing and wait out there." She said walking out of the dressing room just in time to hear her cellphone chime alerting her to a new text message. She opened it noticing it was from Nathan.

_How's it going? Is it all settled?_

_Everything is all set. She's going to come home and ask you about going tonight. BTW...you owe me big!_ Brooke sent her response and closed her phone at the same moment Haley came out of the dressing room. "You ready to go get some lunch?" Brooke asked.

"Absolutely." Haley stated as the two girls linked arms and headed towards the cash register to make their purchases.

**Okay, there you go. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well. Again thank you for the reviews and taking the time to read this story. I'll be back with another update hopefully tomorrow. I don't have to work tomorrow, so I should be able to post another one. Until then!**


	4. Chapter 4

_Today is the day. Nathan Scott and Haley James tie the knot today. We've been watching them for the passed week, and from outside appearances, their sudden wedding appears to be legitimate. We have our sources saying the two appear to be happy and in love. We're still skeptical. Only time will tell. But until then, we wish them a perfect wedding day._

"Hey, mom. I don't know if you can hear me or not. I'd like to think you can." Nathan began while taking a seat next to his mom's bedside. "Anyway, I just wanted you to know that today is the day. Haley and I are getting married. You got what you have wanted ever since we were babies. And don't try denying anything. I know you and Lydia always wished for this-and not for the sake of the company either. You know, even though it's not a real genuine, marriage, I wish you were awake for a lot of reasons. For one, I may have been able to convince you of amending this provision. Haley and I both could have tried talking some sense into you. For a second reason, if we couldn't change your mind, I could still really use your advice. This isn't who I am. I'm not the guy who settles down. To be honest, it terrifies me. I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I don't know how to be a husband or a father. By the way, thanks for that one again. For a third reason, Haley could have really used you today. Both her mom and dad died. Yeah, dad died, but at least I still have some hope with you-even if it's fading day by day. She could use a mother figure for this. She's not dealing with everything very well. She puts on this fake facade, but I can see straight through it. I don't know what to say to her to make her feel better. Aunt Karen and Brooke have really been there for her. They're helping her in a way I can't. I also wanted you to know that I gave Haley grandma's ring. She's incredibly grateful. It fits her perfectly." Nathan said while taking a moment.

"Good morning, Nathan. How's she doing today?" A nurse asked walking into the hospital room.

"She's the same. How are you doing today, Sheila?" Nathan asked politely. He enjoyed all of the nurses and doctors at Tree Hill Memorial, but he enjoyed Sheila the most. She was in her late forties. She was incredibly sweet and caring. She was always bringing him snacks and drinks. They always talked with one another. In fact, she was the nurse who was working the day he came in here and yelled at his mom after finding out about the will. She sat down with him as he explained everything. She sat there quietly and let him rant. After he was finished, he asked her what she thought. She said she couldn't give him any advice, but she said that there's always a reason for everything.

"I'm wonderful. So, today's the day." She stated.

"Yup." He said.

"Are you ready?" She asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." He stated.

"You know, I still have never met this girl." She commented.

"What-you haven't watched the television recently? Our faces have been plastered all over it these passed few weeks." He said.

"Oh, honey, I don't pay attention to that stuff. When I get off work, I go home straight to my husband." She said.

"Do you have any children, Sheila?" He asked.

"Nope. I was never able to have any children. My husband and I tried for years. The doctors told us it was highly unlikely that we would ever get pregnant. We eventually decided it wasn't meant to be and gave up." She answered.

"I'm sorry." He apologized sympathetically.

"It's okay. It's a good thing I love my husband with everything I have. He's enough for me." She said as he smiled at her. "So, do I get to meet this girl?" She continued.

"Well, you're more than welcome to come to the wedding. You can bring your husband. I'm sure you two could use a night away from home. Come dance, eat, drink, and have a good time." He offered.

"I might just take you up on that offer. My husband and I were talking about going out for dinner, but I think this could prove to be more fun." She said.

"Okay, well, I guess I better get going. I don't want to be late to my own wedding." He deadpanned while standing up and reaching over to kiss his mom on the forehead. He smiled at Sheila before leaving the hospital.

* * *

Haley hesitantly walked through the door. She froze for a moment before walking further into the room until she was standing right next to the bed. "Hey, Deb. I know I haven't been by to visit at all, and I'm sorry. I just couldn't come in here. It made me think about my parents. I mean, it still makes me think about my parents, but it's a little less painful. I came here today to tell you thank you for the ring. It's gorgeous, and I feel very honored. A part of me still thinks Nathan should save it for the girl he will really love, but he insisted that I take it. I know he wishes you could be here today at the wedding. I wish my parents and you and Dan could all be here. Of course, I'd be yelling at and cursing all of you for doing this to us, but it still would have been nice for our whole family to be together. You know, I could really use my mom today. And I could really use you right now, too. You've always been like a second mother to me. I don't know how to do this-any of it. I just, I feel really terrified. That's why you need to wake up. I need you. Nathan needs you. We both need you." She said placing her hand over Deb's.

"Hello." A nurse said walking into the room causing Haley to turn around startled. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I was just doing rounds, and I saw you standing in here. I'm Sheila." The nurse stated sticking out her hand.

"Hi, I'm Haley." Haley said politely shaking the woman's hand.

"Oh, so you're Haley." She said smiling as Haley looked at her confused. "You're a very beautiful young woman. Nathan's a lucky guy."

"Thanks." Haley said uncomfortably.

"Oh, honey, you don't have to act so shy. Nathan told me about your parent's will." Sheila said.

"Nathan told you?" Haley asked surprised.

"Yes. That sweet boy was in here one day yelling at his poor mother. I think he just needed someone to vent to about everything. How are you holding up?" Sheila asked.

"I'm fine. Okay, that's a lie. I'm nervous and terrified and sad and a whole bunch of other emotions." Haley answered.

"Are you at all excited or happy?" Sheila asked.

"In a way, I am. But more for the wedding not the marriage. That part is overwhelming." Haley stated.

"Look, I'm not going to stand here and try to convince you that this marriage is the right thing to do or anything like that. I don't know you, and I didn't know your parents. But I feel like I kind of know Nathan. He's a good man. And believe me when he's just as terrified and nervous as you are. I'm going to give you the same advice I gave him awhile ago-just live for the moment. Don't think about the future. Think about right now and focus on that. And just remember there's a reason for everything. Good luck today." Sheila said before leaving the room as Haley contemplated what she said.

* * *

Haley stared at herself in the mirror. She looked down to her left hand and saw the ring. She twirled it around her finger before following her line of sight back up to her face. "Hales, it's time." Brooke said breaking her thoughts. Haley smiled before stepping away from the mirror. "I'm ready." She said with certainty.

"You look beautiful." Brooke said hugging her gently.

"Thanks, so do you." Haley returned. The music cued and Brooke began her walk down the aisle as Pachelbel's Canon in D major played. Brooke winked at Lucas before looking at Nathan. She could see the nerves radiating off of him. The bridal march began and the doors swung open as Haley began her decent down the aisle. Nathan couldn't help but be caught off gaurd. She looked amazing. Words couldn't truly describe the way she looked. It was more than just her beauty-she was glowing, and she looked pure and innocent. She looked up and caught his gaze. She smiled softly at him as he returned the smile. Before they realized it, she was standing right beside him. She handed Brooke her flowers as Nathan took her hand and led her up the alter as everyone took a seat.

"Greetings all-friends and family. We are gathered here today to celebrate that the lives of Nathan Scott and Haley James, will be joined in marriage. Up to this point their love has been nurtured privately. In many ways, that deepest connection is private and between them alone, but today, the promise of that bond is made public. This is the time that you have chosen to become husband and wife. We are here not only to witness your commitment to each other, but to wish you every happiness in your future life together. Marriage is founded on sincerity and understanding which leads to tolerance, confidence and trust. We believe that those qualities which have attracted you both to each other, can be best developed during a life spent together. As individuals, you have each had a unique and life-shaping past, and now you willingly choose to set aside the solitary exploration of your individual lives to discover who you are in the presence of one another. The contract of marriage is most solemn and is not to be entered into lightly, but thoughtfully and seriously with a deep realization of its obligations and responsibilities. No other human ties are more tender and no other vows more important than those you are about to pledge." The minister began. Nathan couldn't help but run his left hand down Haley's right arm until he reached her hand and interlaced his with hers. "Please turn to one another and join hands. We shall now recite your vows." Nathan and Haley turned to one another joining their other hands together.

"Do you, Nathan, offer yourself wholly and joyfully, and do you choose Haley as the person with whom you will share your life, in laughter and in tears, in conflict and tranquility, loving what you know of her, and trusting what you do not know yet?" The minister asked.

"I do." Nathan answered smiling at Haley.

"Do you, Haley, offer yourself wholly and joyfully, and do you choose Nathan as the person with whom you will share your life, in laughter and in tears, in conflict and tranquility, loving what you know of her, and trusting what you do not know yet?" The minister asked.

"I do." Haley answered returning the smile.

"From the earliest times, the circle has been a symbol of completeness, a symbol of committed love. An unbroken and never ending circle symbolizes a commitment of love that is also never ending. As often as either of you looks at this symbol, I hope that you will be reminded of the commitment to love each other, which you have made today. Nathan." The minister  
said.

"I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. As I place it on your finger, I commit my heart and soul to you. I ask you to wear this ring as a reminder of the vows we have spoken today, our wedding day." Nathan said sliding the band onto Haley's finger.

"Haley." The minister said.

"I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. As I place it on your finger, I commit my heart and soul to you. I ask you to wear this ring as a reminder of the vows we have spoken today, our wedding day." Haley said sliding the band onto Nathan's finger.

"You have declared before all of us that you will live together in marriage. You have made special promises to each other, which have been symbolized by the joining of hands, taking of vows and the giving and receiving of two ring's. May you strive all your lives to meet this commitment with the same love and devotion you now possess. For love is truly the greatest gift we are given to share. Delight in each other's company and never take each other for granted. By the authority vested in me as a minister in the state of North Carolina, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride." The minister declared. Nathan and Haley looked at each other hesitantly before leaning in slowly. Their lips met in a simple chaste kiss as all the guests cheered. They broke apart and softly smiled at one another before walking down the aisle.

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen, please help me in welcoming Nathan and Haley Scott to the dancefloor for their first dance as husband and wife." The DJ announced as everyone clapped. Nathan led Haley to the floor as More Than Anyone by Gavin Degraw sounded through the speakers. Haley wrapped her arms around Nathan's neck as his arms wrapped around her waist and they began to sway to the music. "Are you okay?" He whispered into her ear.

"Yeah. You?" She asked.

"Yeah. Is this the wedding you've always dreamed of?" He asked.

"It is, except for the most important part-my groom." She answered quietly.

"Ouch, that kind of stung." He said.

"I'm sorry, Nathan, I..."

"I'm joking. I know I'm not the one you wanted to marry. I feel the same way. In five years, maybe you'll be able to find your perfect groom." He said.

"I doubt it. I'm going to be a single mother raising a baby alone at that point." She commented sadly.

"Hey, you won't be raising that baby alone. Even when we're not together anymore, I'll be there. I won't let you go through that all by yourself. And you will find someone." He said. She didn't say anything. "Hey, look at me." He said as she did. "You're going to fall in love someday and find someone who loves you back the same way." He continued. She nodded and smiled slightly at him.

"I never did ask you how your bachelor party went." She said changing the subject.

"It was fine." He said vaguely.

"Fine. That's all you have to say-fine. Did you have fun?" She asked.

"Yeah, I just went to a couple bars with Lucas and some other friends. We played some pool and just did what guys do." He answered.

"Did you meet any women?" She asked not sure if she wanted to know the answer or not.

"What? No, of course not. I wouldn't do that to you." He said.

"It's not like you technically would be cheating on me." She said.

"No, but we are married now. It is cheating. Besides, the will was very specific about that. If either of us is caught cheating we lose the company. I won't risk the company just for a piece of ass." He said.

"How charming." She commented.

"I am charming, Hales." He said as the song ended. "This is just the beginning." He whispered before kissing her on the cheek.

* * *

"I love it here. It's so beautiful and peaceful." Haley commented as she and Nathan were lounging on some chairs along a beach in Maui.

"It is nice and quiet." He agreed.

"Thanks for this. I needed to get away." She stated.

"I know, we both did. So, do you have anything specific planned while we're here? Or do you just plan on laying out in the sun the whole vacation?" He asked.

"I plan on laying out in the sun the whole vacation. Why? Did you have something in mind?" She asked.

"Yeah, I was thinking we should go snorkling." He suggested.

"That sounds like fun. Oh, there's this program at the Sea Life Park where you can swim with dolphins. I've always wanted to do that!" She exclaimed.

"Okay, we can do that as well. You want to go now?" He suggested as she nodded. They both quickly stood up from their chairs racing away.

They arrived back to their hotel late that night. "That was so much fun! Dolphins are officially my new favorite animals!" Haley exclaimed as they entered their room.

"Yeah, it was fun. But now, we need to get some rest, because I have a surprise for you tomorrow." Nathan said.

"What is it?" She asked curiously.

"I just told you it's a surprise meaning I can't tell you." He said.

"Please, Nathan, you know how much I hate surprises." She whined.

"Oh, I know. And I'm kind of enjoying this right now." He laughed.

"You're a jerk, you know that." She stated.

"I know, but I'm still not telling you." He said.

"Fine. I'm gonna go take a shower." She said heading towards the bathroom.

"Want some company?" He called out and chuckled when she flipped him off before slamming the door shut behind her.

* * *

"Nathan, what are we doing here?" Haley asked when they arrived at their destination. She looked at him as he smiled widely at her. Her eyes widened and she shook her head vigorously. "Oh, hell no. You seriously don't think I'm going to be doing that." She exclaimed.

"Come on, Praley. It'll be so much fun. I've always wanted to do this." He urged.

"Fun? Yeah, I don't think jumping head first and plunging to my death is fun." She scoffed.

"It's not even that dangerous." He stated as she cocked an eyebrow at him. "Okay, there is some risk to it, but there's risk to everything in life. Come on, Haley, please. After, you'll feel so exhilerating. Please, I did what you wanted to do." He said.

"What I wanted to do was swimming with dolphins. What you want to do is jump off the side of a cliff. I would hardly say there's an even deal to that." She stated.

"Please. Just try it. If we get to the top and you decide you don't want to, we can come back down." He suggested. He saw the hesitation still in her eyes. "Haley, I'm going to be celebate for the next five damn years. You could at least do this one little thing for me!" He yelled as she burst out in laughter. "That is true. I know what a sacrifice that is to you. Okay, we can do it." She said weakly.

"Are you serious?" He asked.

"Don't make me say it again. Because if I have to think about it some more, I'm going to once again realize how stupid and careless this is. And I'm going to change my mind." She ranted. He quickly grabbed her hand and led her to the top where everyone else was waiting. As they were waiting in line, one of the workers set up their equipment. Nathan looked over to Haley. He watched her face as she watched all of the other people jumping. Her face paled as her body began shaking. "I think your girlfriend is close to losing it." A voice sounded causing Nathan to look away from her. He noticed one of the female workers talking to him. "What?" He asked.

"Your girlfriend-she's close to losing it." She repeated pointing to Haley.

"Yeah, this isn't her thing. And she's my wife, not my girlfriend." He corrected.

"Oh, sorry. Honeymoon?" She deduced as he nodded. "Well, you're up." She said.

"Haley." He called as she looked over to him. "It's our turn." He said with a big smile.

"Already?" She asked.

"Yup, let's go." He said taking her hand and pulling her with him. They were standing on the edge while the workers finished hooking their harnesses together. "You okay?" He asked.

"No, I don't think I can do this, Nathan." She admitted.

"You can, Hales. You're going to be fine." He reassured as she nodded. Before he could say anything else, she threw her arms around him clinging to him tightly. "Do you plan on doing this the whole time?" He asked.

"Yup." She answered without breaking contact or looking at him causing him to laugh.

"Ready when you are." The worker shouted.

"Okay, I'm going to jump on the count of three, okay. Just keep you eyes closed and hold on tight. 1, 2, 3!" He yelled before jumping off the ledge as Haley let out a loud scream.

* * *

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Nathan asked as the two of them were eating dinner at Lahaina Grill.

"It wasn't that bad, but I will never do it again for as long as I live." She declared.

"Yeah, I don't recommend it for you either. You about strangled me with your death grip. Not to mention, I about went deaf with your loud screaming into my ear." He said.

"Hey, I told you I didn't want to do it. So, you have to deal with the outcomes." She retorted.

"True. That was totally awesome, though." He said.

"I can't believe you've never done that before now." She said.

"I almost did it three years ago. A bunch of my friends and I went on Spring Break in Florida. We were all set to do it. But when we got to the top, my girlfriend freaked out and refused to go through with it. I took her back down to the bottom. She told me she wanted to go back to the hotel, so I took her." He answered.

"That sucks." She said.

"Yeah, it did." He commented.

"So, you had a girlfriend. Like an actual committed relationship?" She asked skeptically.

"Yes. Her name was Rachel. We went to Duke together, and we were together for over a year." He answered.

"Wow, what happened?" She questioned.

"Nothing really. She decided she wasn't into the relationship anymore and ended it. No big deal." He said focusing his attention back to his plate of food.

"Oh my gosh. You actually loved her-like in love with her." She stated surprised.

"What? No, I didn't." He scoffed.

"Yes, you did. You were in love with her." She said.

"I didn't love her. I'll admit I cared a great deal for her and could have loved her, but she ended it before it got that far." He stated.

"I'm sorry, Nathan." She said sympathetically. She saw something in his eyes she had never seen before. She saw the vulnerability and sincerity in them. It was clear, this girl meant a great deal to him. He was still affected by what she did to him.

"No big deal. It's over and done with." He dismissed the subject as Haley nodded in understanding. "So, what about you? Any boyfriends back in California?" He asked.

"Nothing serious. I dated a guy for about six months, but it didn't work out." She said.

"Why?" He prodded.

"It just didn't." She said.

"Let me guess, you wouldn't put out so he dumped you. He realized how much of a prude you truly are and decided to find a girl who would actually give him what he needs." He laughed smugly. Haley didn't say anything to his response. She just stood up and walked away leaving Nathan sitting there confused and feeling slightly guilty.

* * *

Nathan and Haley had just arrived back to Tree Hill. After what happened in the restaurant back in Maui, Haley refused to speak with Nathan the rest of their vacation. She went off on her own and anytime he attempted to talk to her, she ignored him or walked away. They were currently driving back home, and she was still ignoring him. She noticed him turning the opposite direction of their house. "Where the hell are you going, Nathan?" She asked finally breaking the silence.

"Oh, so you're talking to me now?" He retorted.

"Cut the crap, Nathan. Where the hell are we going?" She asked angrily.

"I have a surprise for you." He said.

"Nathan, I'm tired and want to go home. The last time I got a surprise from you, it consisted of risking my life. Excuse me, but I don't want to deal with that again. Please just take me home." She stated annoyed.

"Not until I show you what I need to show you. So, sit back, shut up, and relax." He said sternly. She rolled her eyes and turned her head to look out of her passenger side window. "Listen, Haley, I'm sorry for what I said. I was just joking, and I didn't think you would take it so seriously. I shouldn't have said anything."

"No, you shouldn't have. You don't know anything that happened, and you don't know a damn thing about me. So, in the future, why don't you just keep your snide little comments to yourself." She retorted angrily surprising Nathan by her outburst. He noticed they were approaching their destination. He pulled the SUV off to the side of the road before turning to her. "Okay, you're right. I'm sorry. But I need you to do something for me." He said handing her a blindfold. "I need you to put this on. Please, Haley, just trust me this one time. I promise you will like this surprise. Please." He pleaded. She looked at him before rolling her eyes and taking the blindfold and putting it on. "See, that wasn't so hard." He commented.

"Whatever, let's get this over with." She scoffed. He laughed and pulled the SUV back onto the road and drove a couple minutes before turning onto a side road. He drove another couple of minutes before stopping the vehicle completely. He jumped out and opened the passenger side door and helped Haley out of it. He led her to where he wanted her to go. He untied the blindfold and watched her face as it fell away. Her eyes went wide and immediately teared up. "What did you do, Nathan?" She asked quietly. She couldn't believe she was staring at it-it was her dream house in the exact location she was planning on building it.

"Brooke told me about your house plans. I hired some workers who readily accepted the challege of building it in a week after I showed them the amount I would pay. Everything is exactly as you designed it, except the interior decorating. I wasn't sure how you wanted that done, and I assumed it was something you would want to do yourself anyway. Consider it an apolo..." He was cut off as she threw her arms around him. He was caught off gaurd before returning the embrace by slipping his arms around her waist. "Thank you, Nathan. I can't believe you did this." She said softly.

"You shouldn't have to give up your dream, Hales." He stated softly. She pulled out of the embrace to look at him. "But what about you? I don't want you to give up your home because of me." She said.

"I'm not. My parent's house isn't going anywhere. Actually, here's some more good news. There was some activity with my mom while we were in Hawaii. She's still in a coma, and it just occurred the one time, but still it's something." He said.

"Nathan, that's amazing!" She exclaimed.

"Yeah, well, I've hired a full time nursing staff for home care. They're transferring her home. I asked the doctor if that was possible. I just want to get her out of that hospital. They said absolutely with the right care. So, technically, my mom is going to be living there. Our whole staff is there to take care of the housework and stuff. We can bring a few workers over to this house if you want." He suggested.

"No, I don't want any help. The house isn't very big. It's nothing I can't manage on my own. It's my house, and I want to take care of it myself." She quickly intervened.

"You want to check it out?" He asked.

"Yes!" She exclaimed running up the walkway. He couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm and excitement. "Hurry up, Nathan!" She called. Once he caught up with her, he took the key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. She ended up giving him a tour considering she was the one who designed it. She showed him the kitchen, the dining room, the living room, the laundry room, the family room, and the sunroom before leading him up the stairs. There was the master bedroom, a guest bedroom, and another bedroom along with a small loft opened to the family room downstairs. "This is going to be so amazing once I've finished the decorating! I have to call Brooke in the morning!" Haley gushed as they finished their tour in the master bedroom.

"Hey, I was thinking I could take the guest bedroom. The will just states that we have to live in the same house. It doesn't specify that we must share the same bedroom." Nathan said.

"Oh, okay. Are you sure?" She asked.

"Yeah, it's technically your house. You should have this bedroom." He stated.

"Nathan, I want you to think of it as your house, too. We'll be here together for the next five years. It's as much yours as it is mine. And I'll pay you for whatever it cost you to have this built so quickly." She said.

"No, Haley, you won't pay me a dime. Consider it a wedding present." He jumped in.

"I still can't believe you did this. Nathan, you have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you so much." She said as she once again threw her arms around him hugging him tightly.

"You're welcome." He said as he hugged her back. He smiled as he tightened his hold around her as well.

**Okay, there you go. This wasn't my favorite chapter. I don't hate it, but it was just kind of a filler. There was just a couple important parts that needed to be mentioned. Also to let you guys know, the next chapter will be skipping ahead a few months as well as the chapter after that. Again, thanks for your wonderful reviews and for following this story. I was really excited to start writing it. My favorite stories are ones consisting of arranged marriages, and I thought it would be fun to write one. I'm also always open to ideas for my stories. I already have an idea of where I'm going to take this story, but if someone has any ideas or suggestion, I will see what I can do to incorporate them into my own ideas. Anyway, I'll have another chapter up soon. Until then!**


	5. Chapter 5

Haley gently kneeled to the grass in front of the two headstones. "Hi, dad. Hi, mom. I'm sorry I've never come out here until now. It was just too hard and felt too real and final. Well, as I'm sure you know, I'm married. For five months now. To Nathan-but you knew that. The company is doing well. Dad, you would be very proud of Nathan. He's doing an amazing job. He was definitely born to do this. He just has that natural intinct when it comes to these things. I'm coming into my own within the company as well. I've kind of taken a step back to allow Nathan to take over. We're working really well together. He comes to me with every idea he has and asks for my opinion. And vice versa. We're making you and this company proud, dad. Mom, you'd be proud of me. I've been teaching myself how to cook. I actually really love it. It's very relaxing and comforting. I made Nathan my guinipig. I forced him to taste my first few attempts. Let's just say it didn't go over very well. He accused me of trying to poison him. But after several trials, I am pretty damn good. I miss you guys so much every day. I have so many things I want to talk to you about. I know I can come here, but it's not the same. I love you guys." Haley cried. She sat quietly for a few minutes before speaking once again. "Well, I should probably go. I'll come back soon, though. I love you." She finished standing up and dusting the dirt off of her jeans before making her way back to her car.

An hour later, Haley was making her way through the building. She reached the top floor and made her way back to Nathan's office. "Mrs. Scott, what brings you here?" The receptionist asked. Haley rolled her eyes-she hated this girl and wanted nothing more than to fire her and drag her ass out of the building herself. She forced a smile. "Hello, Stephanie. How are you doing today?" She asked politely.

"Oh you know, Mr. Scott keeps me pretty busy." The girl answered. Haley had to hold back a laugh at the way her voice had a little giggle with it when she said Nathan's name and at the blush that covered her face. Anyone within a fifty feet radius could see the girl's crush.

"Well, that's good. It is his job." Haley answered. "Well, I'm just gonna..." She said pointing to the office.

"Oh, Mrs. Scott, Nathan's very busy right now. He asked not to be disturbed." Stephanie said.

"Really. Well, Stephanie, here's a little tip-this is my company, and I can go in and out at any time I please. And Nathan is going to be very busy. You see, I haven't seen him all day and I was thinking of going in there, locking the door, and just having my way with him. We usually have sex at least three times a day, and normally I can hold off until he gets home. But I was really missing him and started thinking about the extremely hot sex we had this morning. I just can't wait any longer-I need him right now. So, if you could go ahead and hold his calls for at least an hour, I would really appreciate it." Haley said sending her a sweet smile before disappearing from the girl's sight into the office. She closed the door and couldn't hold back her laugh any longer. "Hey, what brings you here?" Nathan asked surprised to see her.

"Wait." Haley said holding up her finger as he looked at her confused. "Come here for a second." She said. He nodded and began walking towards her. She grabbed him by his tie and pushed him hard into the door. "Haley, wh..." He stopped as she put a finger against his lips. She pulled him away a couple seconds later before walking towards the desk laughing. "Okay do you want to tell me what that was all about?" He asked following her.

"Oh, I was just giving your secretary a little show." She commented taking a seat on the top of his desk.

"Why?" He asked.

"I don't like her." She stated.

"Stephanie?" He said.

"Yeah-Stephanie. She's an incompetant worker who does nothing but fantasize about you all day." She said as he laughed. "I'm sorry, but what's so funny?" She asked annoyed.

"You. You sound a little jealous, Hales." He said making his way until he was standing directly in front of her.

"Please, I'm not jealous of her. She doesn't hold anything to me." She retorted.

"Really. You sound awefully sure of yourself." He said stepping in between her legs. He leaned forward placing his hands on both sides of her body as she leaned back slightly. "I am sure." She said.

"So, you're not jealous of Stephanie." He said leaning closer until his face was hovering right in front of hers as his eyes traveled down to her lips and back up to her eyes.

"I have no reason to be jealous of her." She said. Just as he was about to formulate a response, the door burst open. "Oh, I'm so sorry." Stephanie said turning away slightly. Haley rolled her eyes. _'God, this girl is such an airhead.'_ She thought. Nathan smirked at Haley before stepping away. "Yes, Stephanie, what can I do for you?" He asked.

"I apologize, Mr. Scott, but your three o'clock meeting has been changed to one o'clock. I just thought you would like to know considering it's twelve thirty right now." She answered.

"Okay, thank you." He said. She smiled brightly at him before leaving the office.

"Seriously? Is the intercom to your office broken or something?" Haley said annoyed.

"I'm a tad irritated myself. Who knows how far we could've gotten before she interrupted us." He smirked.

"Please, like that was gonna happen. I have to meet Brooke for lunch. Come on." She said jumping off of his desk. "Walk me out, honey." She finished. He laughed as she looped her arm through his leaning her body into his. He led her out into the hall and couldn't help but notice the look on his secretary's face. He wasn't an idiot. He knew she had a little crush on him. Was it at all reciprocated? Hell no! But for some reason, he was enjoying Haley's jealousy.

"So, when are you gonna be home, sweetie?" Haley asked in her sickenly sweet voice.

"I don't know. Not too late." He played along.

"Better not be too late." She said turning her eyes over to Stephanie slightly. She leaned further into Nathan and brushed her lips against his. She felt him smirk against her lips and she inwardly rolled her eyes. She ran her tongue along his bottom lip in an attempt to deepen the kiss. He quickly parted his lips and snaked his tongue into her mouth seeking hers. Haley definitely never got this way, and he was determined to make the most of it. Their tongues battled in dominance for a couple minutes before Haley pulled away slightly. "See you at home." She said leaning in kissing him quickly one more time before walking away. "Bye, Stephanie." She called over her shoulder disappearing from sight. Nathan smiled as he watched her walk away.

"Mr. Scott, I'm so sorry for interrupting earlier." Stephanie apologized.

"It's okay, Stephanie. But in the future, if my wife comes by, use the intercom or maybe knock before entering. Okay?" He said as she quickly nodded. He smiled kindly at her before heading back into his office.

* * *

"I would like to propose a toast. Lucas, you've been my best friend for as long as I can remember. We've always been there for one another. And I am so proud to be here celebrating this new chapter in your life. You've got yourself a great girl. I knew the minute I met Brooke that she was the one for you. I can't find two people more compatible for one another. I love you both. Congratulations. To Lucas and Brooke." Haley said as everyone clinked glasses. Lucas and Brooke both stood to give Haley a hug. "Congrats, man." Nathan leaned over giving Lucas a hug.

"Thanks. So, you two have been married for five months now. Do you have any words of wisdom for us?" Lucas asked as Nathan and Haley looked at one another. "Don't kill each other." They both said causing Lucas and Brooke to laugh.

"I guess, you two probably aren't the best example of a happy marriage." Lucas said. Haley laughed but Brooke noticed the hint of sadness in Haley's eyes and felt for her friend. Nathan and Haley have been living in this pretend life for the passed five months. The only time they are able to actual be themselves is when they are alone with them or each other. She knew it was starting to take its toll on Haley. She didn't really know how Nathan was feeling. She has gotten to know him over the passed few months, but she still couldn't read him. He was good at hiding his true feelings-something he and Haley had in common.

"Hales, come to the bathroom with me." Brooke announced as Haley nodded her head. Once the girls were out of sight, Nathan and Lucas headed to the bar to order some more drinks. "I can't believe you're getting married tomorrow." Nathan said.

"I know, it seems crazy. I can't wait, though. I get to marry the most beautiful woman in the world tomorrow." Lucas said.

"You're completely gone, man." Nathan chuckled.

"Hey, I can't help if if I'm actually in love with my wife. Unlike you, I can't wait to get married." Lucas retorted.

"True enough." Nathan commented.

"Speaking of, how are things going with you and Haley?" Lucas asked.

"Everything's fine, except for the no sex part." Nathan mumbled.

"Yeah, how's that going by the way? I can't picture you being celebate for longer than a day." Lucas said.

"It's not easy. It's hard-literally. I don't know how many more cold showers I can take." Nathan said as Lucas laughed. The girls returned and Brooke immediately threw her arms around Lucas pulling him into a kiss. Nathan looked at Haley. "Where's my kiss, honey?" He asked throwing his arm around her shoulders. She pulled his wrist and twisted it in her hands. "Ouch, shit, Haley!" He exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, honey, did I hurt you?" She smirked as he glared at her.

"You girls didn't take very long." Lucas murmered against Brooke's lips.

"We just had to do a little touch-up. It takes a bit of help to make me look like this." Brooke said pointing to herself.

"Well, it's certainly not natural for some people. Some people have to try a little harder than others." Nathan commented looking pointedly at his wife. Haley glared at him in return. Brooke reached over and smacked him on the back of the head. "What the hell, Brooke?" He exclaimed rubbing his head.

"That's for being a dick!" She said.

"Lucas, you need to control your woman." Nathan commented taking a drink. Lucas closed his eyes and shook his head at his cousin's cluelessness.

"Control your woman. What are we-in the 1950s?" Brooke said.

"Just ignore my cousin. He doesn't know anything about women or being in a relationship." Lucas intervened.

"It's not that hard. I've been doing it for the passed five months." Nathan retorted.

"That's not real. When you get married for the sake of anything other than love-it doesn't count. You may be living under the same roof, but you're not sharing the same bed. This marriage is nothing but a sham. All it shows is how far some people will go to get what they want. It's not right. What you're doing is wrong and pathetic." Lucas countered angrily.

"Lucas, stop." Brooke said looking over at Haley. Lucas immediately felt guilty. He was directing all of that towards Nathan. He wasn't even thinking about Haley. "Haley, I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."

"No, it's okay, Luke. You're right-it is wrong and pathetic." Haley stated setting her drink down and walking away.

"Way to go, jackass." Nathan said setting his drink down before leaving to go find Haley.

"Jeez, Luke. What was all that about?" Brooke asked.

"I didn't mean to. I was just tired of Nathan acting the way he does. I should go find her." Lucas said.

"Wait, let Nathan calm her down first." Brooke said stopping him.

"Nathan? You trust Nathan to calm Haley down?" He said skeptically.

"Lucas, you're so naive. Those two are totally into each other. They're like polar opposites who complete one another. They're just too stubborn to admit there's an attraction there." She explained.

"Yeah, okay. They don't feel anything for one another." He said.

"Care to make a bet. Those two will decide to stay together for love and not because of the company." She challenged.

"Oh, you're on." He agreed shaking her hand before giving her a sweet kiss.

Nathan looked around the club and became increasingly worried when he could find Haley. He saw Peyton, an old friend of Haley's from high school, and approached her. "Hey, Peyton, have you seen Haley anywhere?" He asked.

"Why?" She said.

"Lucas was being an ass and said something that upset her. I need to make sure she's okay." He answered.

"Lucas said something?" She questioned.

"Okay, fine, I said something first causing Lucas to go even further." He explained. She looked at him skeptically with a kinked eyebrow. "Well, have you seen her?" He asked impatiently. She glared at him before pointing backstage. "Thank you, Petyon." He said heading to the back.

"Whatever." She commented.

"Haley?" He called receiving no response. "Haley, I know you're back here. I talked to Peyton." He said.

"Good to know I can trust her." Haley said coming out of hiding.

"Hey, there you are. Are you okay?" He asked concerned.

"I'm fine." She answered.

"I'm sorry. Luke was just being an ass." He stated.

"Well, it's not like he didn't say anything that wasn't true. It's really okay. I just needed to get away for a little bit to think. I'm fine, though." She said.

"You sure?" He asked again.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I promise." She reassured.

"Hey, look, I'm sorry about what I said about Lucas needing to control Brooke and stuff." He apologized.

"Oh, I don't care about that. Besides, women are the ones who control the relationship anyway." She commented.

"What? No, they don't." He retaliated.

"Really? I could control you." She said.

"Oh, no you couldn't." He said. He watched confused as she smiled at him. She walked very slowly towards him until she was standing right in front of him. She brushed her body flush against his. She smiled before descending her lips onto his neck and began laying hot, open-mouthed kisses along the skin. She smirked when he let out a small moan. She felt him grab her waist digging his fingers into the flesh of her bare skin. Nathan felt himself losing control. He was two seconds away from throwing her down on the couch next to them. That was until he felt her kisses moving upward. A second later he felt her hot breath on his ear. "I told you I could control you." She whispered kissing him one last time on the cheek before walking away leaving him surprised. "Damn it!" He yelled before trying to calm his body down.

**There you go. Sorry, that chapter's a little shorter than the previous ones. I hope you enjoyed it though. I'll have another chapter up soon. Until then!**


	6. Chapter 6

"Mr. Scott, I'm getting ready to head home." Stephanie said peeking her head into his office.

"Okay, have a good night." He said absent-mindedly.

"Is everything okay, Mr. Scott?" She asked stepping further into the room.

"Yeah, I'm just tired." He answered.

"Well, maybe you should go home. I'm sure your wife misses you. I know I would." She said with a flirtatious smile. He inwardly groaned. He wasn't in the mood to deal with this. Haley asked him again why he hasn't fired Stephanie yet. In all honesty, she hasn't given him a reason to fire her. Sure, she has a crush on him. That much is obvious. But that's all from her reactions to him-her blushes and her little giggles she lets out. She's never come on to him or acted inappropriately towards him. She would sent him flirtatious smiles but nothing extreme. She shouldn't lose her job for a crush she's never even acted on.

"I'm fine. And Haley doesn't miss me." He commented without realizing what he said.

"Uh oh, trouble in paradise? Did you and Haley have a fight?" She asked intrigued.

"What? No, everything's fine." He tried covering.

"Are you sure? You can talk to me. I won't say anything. I know I come across as an airhead, but I am very intuitive. Maybe I can help whatever might be going on between you two." She said.

"Thanks, but everything's really okay." He reassured.

"Mr. Scott, can I ask you something?" She asked.

"Sure." He said carefully.

"Why hasn't Haley been here lately?" She asked.

"What do you mean? She was just here the other day." He said confused.

"No, she was here to see you. But in terms of working, she hasn't been here lately." She clearified. Nathan listened closely to Stephanie. He hadn't really thought about that. But now, it has occurred to him that Haley has kind of been MIA from the company lately.

"She's been working still. She was just helping one of her best friend's plan her wedding, so she's been a little busy." He lied.

"Oh, okay. I just thought maybe she liked being a housewife more or something. Well, I better get going. Are you sure you're okay?" She asked once again.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks, though, Stephanie. Have a good night." He said as she nodded at him before leaving the office. Nathan's mind went back to what she said about Haley and the company and realized he needed to talk to Haley about it.

* * *

"Hey." Haley greeted as Nathan walked into the family room.

"Hey." He greeted noticing she was cuddled up in one of the chairs reading a book drinking some hot chocolate.

"Long day at work?" She asked.

"Yeah. Haley, I need to talk to you about something." He said.

"Okay. You sound serious." She commented.

"What's going on with you?" He blew out suddenly.

"What do you mean?" She asked confused.

"What's going on with you? You're never working anymore. You're always here doing housework or something. Or you're out with Brooke or helping her with her clothing line. You're doing everything but anything involving our company. What? Do you not want the company anymore?" He asked.

"Of course, I still want the company. How can you even ask me that?" She asked upset.

"Well, you're never there anymore. I thought we were partners. We both own this company, Haley-fifty/fifty. But lately, I'm the only one who seems to give a damn about it." He said.

"Don't you dare say I don't care about this company. It belonged to my parents. It was their whole world. And they were my whole world. So, it means the whole world to me. I want it to succeed and become even greater than it is." She retorted.

"Then, what's going on? Because honestly, it seems to me that you don't care or you just want me to do all of the work." He said. He watched as she angrily stood up and went to the bookshelf flipping through some papers before grabbing a couple and walking back over to him. She shoved the papers into his arms. "What is this?" He asked curiously looking at the papers.

"It's some new marketing designs and ideas I've been working on. I had a meeting with our investors and advertisors last month, and we discussed needing a new fresh and up-to-date look. While you've been at the office, I've been working on these here. I was waiting until I was finished to share them with you." She said making her way out of the room. Before reaching the doorway, she turned to look at him. "By the way, Nathan, did it ever occur to you that I was taking a step back from the company on purpose. Just maybe, I loved what you were doing with it and wanted to see what else you could come up with." She revealed before walking out completely.

"I'm sorry." He stated walking into the kitchen. Ever since she taught herself how to cook, he's noticed how she tends to cook when she's angry or aggrivated about something. He was about to laugh when he saw the many contents laying on the counters but realized laughing probably wouldn't fall too well with her right now. He sighed when she said nothing-just kept going about her cooking. "Haley, I'm really sorry, okay. I was sitting in my office. Stephanie came in and asked me if everything with you was okay. She mentioned how you haven't been around work lately, and I guess I never really noticed it until she said something. I'm sorry. I know how much the company means to you. I know you care about it just as much as I do. I'm sorry." He apologized hoping for a reaction from her. Still-she said nothing.

"Your marketing ideas are really good. I think they'll be amazing once you put them all together." He continued. Still-she said nothing. He smirked before walking to stand right behind her. He placed his hands around her stomach and pulled her back against his chest. "I'm sorry." He whispered into her ear before kissing her lightly on her cheek. He watched as she was trying to focus her attention to her cooking. She couldn't fool him, though. There was a slight blush evading her face and she was biting her lower lip. He knew he was getting to her. He dipped his head lower into the crook of her neck and layed kisses along her skin. He was surprised she hadn't pushed him away yet. He took a chance and moved the strap of her tank top off her shoulder moving his kisses there. He continued sucking on her skin before feeling something crack against the back of his head. He then felt a slimy substance run down his neck into the collar of his shirt. He looked up and saw Haley laughing hysterically. "You think this is funny, huh?" He said.

"Yes, I do. And it felt wonderful, too." She said.

"Well, you know what they say-payback's a bitch." He said grabbing an egg. Haley tried to run away, but he quickly grabbed her by the waist pulling her into his arms. "That wasn't very nice, Praley. I think I need to teach you a lesson for that one." He said.

"I'm sorry, Nathan. You're right, it wasn't very nice. Please let me go." She begged trying to free herself from his grasp. He tightened his hold around her.

"Why would I do that?" He asked.

"I'll give you what you want." She said seductively.

"Oh, and what exactly would that be?" He asked interested. She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a kiss. He didn't hesitate kissing her back. He wasn't stupid, though. He knew what she was doing. Letting the kiss go just a little bit longer, he reached his hand up and cracked the egg over her head. "Oh, you jerk." She mumbled against his lips.

"You underestimate me, Hales. I know when I'm being played." He whispered.

"Really, I'll have to keep that in mind." She commented as they stared at one another. Nathan watched as her eyes traveled down to his lips. She licked her lips before moving her line of sight back up to his eyes. God, he wanted her so bad. He could feel his pants getting tighter. He felt her fingers raking the back of his neck. He knew she was just as turned on as he was right now. But as always, something gets in the way-and that happened to be her cellphone ringing. "I should go get that." She said hesitantly.

"You should." He mumbled. She broke out of his embrace and grabbed her phone. "Hello." She answered.

"Hey, Hales!" Came a squeeling voice.

"Hey, Brooke. How's it going, girly?" Haley asked. She smiled when she heard Nathan let out a groan and then roll his eyes before walking out of the kitchen.

"I'm wonderful. How are you? I'm not interrupting anything, am I? I know it's kind of late." Brooke asked.

"No, no you weren't interrupting anything." Haley quickly dismissed. "So, what's going on?" She asked.

"Actually, I need your help with something. I want to have a fashion show here in Tree Hill." Brooke said.

"Okay, so do it." Haley said.

"Well, I was thinking that I could have it at Tric. Do you think Peyton would be okay with that? I mean, you know her better than I do. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind talking to her for me." She asked.

"Yeah, absolutely. I'll talk to her about it, and the three of us can sit down and go over the details. When were you thinking of having it?" Haley asked.

"Well, I want to show designs from my new collection. I won't be finished with them until next year. But I figured, we will have to rent out Tric early. I'll also have to let my investors know ahead of time. I also need to hire some models. I'm still new to this kind of stuff, and I don't want to be thrown into everything last minute." Brooke answered.

"Okay, that sounds great. You've certainly got plenty of time. I'll help you with whatever you need." Haley said.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you so much! Do you mind coming by the store tomorrow to help me get started on the details?" Brooke asked.

"Nope, not at all. I'll see you tomorrow." Haley said before hanging up the phone. She looked around and saw the mess she made earlier with her angry cooking. She sighed before beginning to clean it up. A minute later, Nathan walked into the kitchen. "What did Brooke want?" He asked as he started helping her.

"Oh, she wants to have a fashion show to promote her new collection. She wants to have it here in Tree Hill-at Tric actually." She answered.

"She should do it. Good publicity." He commented.

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. She asked me to help her out. I'm gonna head over there tomorrow to get started on some ideas." She said.

"Sounds like fun." He deadpanned.

"Yeah, we're going to have to hire some models and..."

"Models-where do I sign up?" He said with his interest piqued.

"You're such a guy." She scoffed.

"What? You tell any man that there's going to be hot women-hot models, and they're going to be interested." He said.

"Whatever. I'm going to bed." She said turning away.

"Umm, there's still stuff to clean up in here. You think I'm going to clean the rest myself." He said incredulously.

"Yup. You can finish cleaning while fantasizing about all of those models. I'll go ahead and turn the shower on now so it's nice and cold for you when you get done." She said walking out of his sight.

* * *

"So, how's Brooke coming along for the fashion show?" Nathan asked as he and Lucas were in his office.

"Good. She's stressing out a bit, though. But Haley's been her savior and calming her down. I think it's going to be a really nice show, though. It's just a few months away. She's really excited." Lucas answered.

"Yeah, Haley seems pretty excited about it, too." Nathan commented.

"How's everything coming with the company. Haley was showing me some of the marketing ideas. They're really good." Lucas said.

"Yeah, Haley's really good at the marketing and designing aspect of the company. She's a natural at it." Nathan agreed.

"Are you still loving it?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah. Even though I hate what it cost to gain ownership, I can't help but be grateful I have my chance with it now. And, it's definitely a good distraction right now." Nathan said.

"From what?" Lucas asked. Nathan gave him a look which Lucas immediately caught onto. "Oh. I'm sorry, man. I know this whole settling down thing hasn't been easy on you." He sympathized.

"You know, it's not really the whole settling down. I mean, yeah, I don't want that either, but it's not about that. It's just, things would be easier if sex was at least part of the deal. It's going on seven months, Luke. Seven months. I'm about to lose it." Nathan complained.

"Yeah, that's gotta be hard. I'm sorry. But you know, I also wanted to say thanks." Lucas said.

"For what?" Nathan asked confused.

"For not pressuring Haley or forcing..."

"Luke, I would never force a girl-any girl into doing anything." Nathan stated sternly.

"I know, I just...I appreciate you not pressuring Haley into doing anything. She isn't like most girls these days. She has morals and isn't ready for that step. I just wanted to say thank you." Lucas explained as Nathan nodded.

* * *

Nathan was exhausted. He spent the whole day at the office and was ready to take a shower and go to sleep. He walked into his bedroom and became startled when he saw Haley sitting on his bed wearing a robe." "Haley, what are you doing in here?" He asked.

"Trying to keep my courage." She said. He looked at her confused. "Your courage for what?" He asked. She stood and walked until she was standing directly in front of him. She could tell he was still confused. She took a deep breath before reaching between them and untying her robe. She let the garment fall off of her body while never taking her eyes off of him. She watched as his eyes wandered up and down her body slowly.

Nathan couldn't breathe once her robe hit the floor. She was wearing a white see-thru night gown which stopped at her mid-thigh. She looked innocent and sexy and breath-taking. His hands were itching to reach out and touch her in ways no man has ever touched her before. He couldn't though. He finally let what she was doing process in his mind. He moved his eyes to look into hers. "Haley, what are you doing?" He asked.

"We've been married for close to a year now. And you've been incredibly patient with and faithful to me. This isn't easy for me. And I know it hasn't been easy for you. You shouldn't have to suffer because of me. That's not fair. We're married, and in the eyes of the law and God, there's no shame in this. It's perfectly natural and expected. I don't want to make you wait anymore." She explained.

"Haley, it's okay. We don't have to..." He was cut off when she started unbottoning his shirt. "You built me my dream house. And back then, I was too scared to show you my gratitude. I don't want to wait anymore. I'm ready. And if I'm going to lose my virginity, I want it to be with you. You've known me my entire life. You protect me and have always been there for me. We've been through a lot together-good and bad. We were forced to get married by our parents. And yes, we will be divorced in less than five years, but I'm living in the moment now. And what I want right now is to give myself to you. There's nobody I trust more in this world. You make me feel safe and brave. I'm tired of waiting. I want you." She said huskily pushing the shirt off his shoulders before running her hands up his bare chest.

Nathan looked directly into her eyes for any sign of discomfort or hesitation. He watched as she smiled slightly at him before leaning in and pressing her lips against his in a soft, sensual kiss. She broke the kiss and rested her forehead against his. "Are you sure about this, Haley?" He asked quietly.

"Completely. I don't want to wait anymore. I want this. I want you, Nathan." She assured. That was all Nathan needed to hear. He pulled her to him and kissed her. It started slow but quickly picked up momentum. He ran his tongue along her lower lip in an effort to deepen their kiss. She quickly obliged and opened her mouth to him. Their tongues met and battled one another. He grabbed her waist and pulled her even closer into him. She could feel his arousal through his jeans and couldn't suppress the moan she let out. Having never done this before, she felt pride in being the one who got him that way. He ran his hands down her thighs before sliding them back up her body until he reached her breasts and gently caressed them. _'God, she was perfect.'_ He thought. He kissed her harder as his hands descended down her body once again reaching her thighs. He moved his hands to the backs of her thighs lifting her off of the ground. Her legs automatically wrapped around his waist as he walked them over to his dresser and set her down on top of it. He felt her move her hands into his hair. He broke the kiss long enough to move his kiss down to her jawline before trailing further down to her neck where he left hot open-mouthed kisses along her skin. She threw her head back once he found her pulse point and sucked on the area. He smirked as her breathing became more labored. "I want you so bad, Haley." He said huskily against her skin.

Haley reached between them finding his belt buckle and quickly unfastening it. She popped open the button on his jeans and pulled down the zipper. She pushed his jeans down passed his thighs as they fell the rest of the way themselves. Nathan stepped out of them kicking them off to the side. He moved his kisses down lower reaching her shoulder. He slipped the strap off while placing a sensual kiss on the skin underneath. He felt Haley's small hands digging into his waist pulling herself closer to his body. He hastily picked her up carrying her over to his bed and dropping her on top of it. He climbed back up her body and kissed her hard. She caressed his cheek while tangling her leg with his. He stretched his hands up under her night gown feeling her bare breasts for the first time. It felt so good, but he wanted more. He lifted slightly off of her and kneeled on his knees. He grabbed the hem of her night gown and felt relieved when she lifted off the bed slightly. He pushed the garment off her body and took in the sight of her. She layed flat on her back in nothing but a pair of white matching panties. "You're beautiful." He stated as she blushed.

Haley was surprised at how natural and right this felt. She thought she would feel uncomfortable and embarrassed to be this way in front of Nathan. Here she was laying down, her body exposed. But instead of feeling the need to cover herself up, she felt empowered and sexy. It made her want this and him even more. She lifted again until she was chest to chest with him. She wrapped her arms around his neck bringing him down to meet in a kiss which he readily accepted. The passion practically exploded between them. They tumbled back to the bed as he once again trailed his mouth down her body reaching her chest. He spent some time there before traveling down further reaching her breasts. He took one into her mouth as she arched into him. He took some time there before moving on to the other one. He hooked his fingers into the sides of her panties before looking into her eyes. She nodded her head as a silent go ahead. He smiled before tugging them down and off her body. He slid his boxers off as well before inching his way back up her body leaving kisses along the way. He reached her face kissing her once again-softly and slowly. He slid his hand down and slid a finger up her center finding her ready for him. "Nathan." She moaned into his mouth. He took his cock into his hand and placed it at her entrance. He looked at her one final time for reassurance that this is what she wanted. She smiled warmly at him, and he knew she wouldn't have any regrets. "I'm sorry, this is going to hurt. I can stop at any time, okay." He said quietly.

"It's okay, just go slow." She wispered. He nodded before sliding halfway in and stopping. Her breath caught in her throat at the new sensation and snapped her eyes shut. She felt his forehead rest against hers hearing him whisper "I'm sorry" again before feeling him push further into her until he was completely inside. She gasped at the feeling squeezing her eyes shut. "Are you okay? Do you want me to stop?" He asked praying her answer wouldn't be yes.

"No, don't stop. Keep going, Nathan." She breathed out. It was painful, but after a few seconds, the pain subsided and turned into pleasure. She felt him moving slowly within her. She gripped onto his shoulders and wrapped her legs tighter around his waist causing him to go deeper inside her. Her moaning and breathing became louder and more errotic. He grabbed her left hand and interlaced it with his right hand as he placed them both above her head. He leaned forward and kissed her long and hard. He was itching to pick up his pace but wanted her first time to be amazing and worth the wait. He was actually surprised he was holding off as long as he was-it's been seven months. And all he's been doing has been fantasizing about this moment right now. He broke the kiss and watched her face. Never before has he seen something so sexy and beautiful. It turned him on even more than he already was. "God, Haley." He panted out lowering his head to her neck laying kisses along the skin. He felt her body begin to shudder and silently thanked her, because he was so close himself. He listened as her breathing quickened and she screamed out his name causing him to come completely undone. He stilled his movements waiting for their bodies to calm down. He placed a shaky kiss on her shoulder before pulling out of her and dropping down on her side pulling her body into his body wrapping his arms around her tightly. She wrapped her arm around his chest just as tightly. "Are you okay?" He asked quietly.

"Yeah, I'm perfect. Thank you, Nathan." She answered. Nathan smiled kissing her lightly on the forehead. "You're welcome." He responded as they both closed their eyes and fell into a deep slumber.

**Okay, so there's another chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. Again, thank you so much for your awesome reviews. And I just want to say, that I will work to hard to get a chapter out to you guys as regularly as possible. I agree with many of you. It does get frustrating having to wait for your favorite stories to be updated. I understand, it's not easy when real life gets in the way, though. I know I've been waiting close to three months for a new chapter in one of my very favorite stories. I'm going through some major withdrawal, but I'm trying to remain patient. So, anyway, I'll try to keep the updates as often as possible. I'm hoping to have another update Friday night. Until then!**


	7. Chapter 7

Four months. It's been four months since Nathan and Haley slept together for the first time. It's been four months since they started sleeping together on a regular basis. No one knows they've been sleeping together. They haven't told Lucas or Brooke or anyone else who knows the truth behind their marriage. They knew people would make a big deal out of it. And by people, they mean Lucas and Brooke. Lucas would think it's irresponsible or reckless while Brooke would think there's some deeper meaning behind it. For Haley, Lucas would warn her that she's gonna get hurt. Brooke, after wanting every celasious detail, would try to get inside her head and insist that she and Nathan were actually in love with one another. Haley didn't want to deal with that. Yes, it's true, she always wanted to be in love and married when she lost her virginity. But people can change their minds. And she is married. She didn't quite know what she was feeling, but she definitely knew she wasn't in love with Nathan. And she wasn't naive enough to think Nathan was in love with her. They agreed to continue their marriage for the next four years, and they might as well reap the benefits while they're stuck in this position. So, now, they have sex anytime, anywhere. They're in their early twenties, and now that that barrier between them was broken, they couldn't stop themselves. It may not be love, but it was defininetly lust. There was passion between them, and neither were willing to give that up just yet.

"Hello, Mrs. Scott. How are you doing today?" Stephanie asked as Haley approached dressed in a big coat which went to her knees.

"I'm wonderful. What about you Stephanie?" Haley asked. Ever since, she and Nathan started sleeping together, his assistant hasn't bothered her so much. She knew the girl just had an innocent, school-girl crush. She actually found her quite amusing. And she also noticed, Stephanie seemed to get that she had no chance with Nathan.

"I'm great. There's a three day weekend ahead of me. My best friend is getting married, and I get to go home for a few days. I'm so excited." Stephanie answered.

"That's great. Is my husband in any meetings or anything right now?" Haley asked.

"Nope, nothing is scheduled. He should be free." Stephanie answered.

"Thanks." Haley said walking away and into his office. "Hey." She greeted shutting the door and locking it.

"Hey, yourself. What brings you by?" He asked pleased to see her. He was sitting at his desk and watched as she sauntered over to him. She threw her leg on the other side of him and sat down on his lap strattling him. "I was lonely. And I thought about you being stuck in this stuffy office all day. I figured I could make it a little more entertaining for you." She said.

"Really? I am kind of busy right now. You see I've got this..." He was cut off by her lips descending down onto his. The kiss was passionate and demanding. Without breaking contact, she unbottoned her jacket and threw it off to the side. She pulled away and Nathan noticed she wasn't wearing anything underneath the jacket. "So, what is it you were saying?" She smiled. He smirked before kissing her once again, their tongues meeting immediately. She yelped when he stood up bringing her with him. He pulled away long enough to knock everything off of his desk causing it all to crash to the ground. He set her down on it and resumed their kiss. She was working on getting his pants off when they heard Stephanie's voice through the intercom. "Mr. Scott, is everything okay? I heard a loud crash." She said.

"Yes, Stephanie, everything is fine." He said into the intercom out of breath before turning his attention back to his willing and waiting wife. He saw her smile. "What? You didn't want to talk to your assistant a little longer." She taunted. She watched as his eyes traveled up and down her body before traveling back up to her face. "Nope, not at all." He remarked. She threw her arms around his neck kissing him once again. It wasn't long before he shed the rest of his clothing, and in an instant he thrust deep inside her causing her to cry out in pleasure. This encounter was fast and frenzied. She tightened her grip on him as she felt her whole body reaching her peak. "God, Nathan, right there." She moaned. Her body began to shudder in the same moment she felt him come inside of her stilling their movements. He kissed her quickly before pulling out of her and redressing. "Do you have an extra shirt or something?" She asked while he was getting dressed.

"Didn't think to bring any clothes with you?" He chuckled.

"No, I didn't." She admitted embarrassed.

"You did seem pretty determined. I understand how you must have felt-you were craving me so much, you couldn't think straight. I know how it is. I am pretty amazing. I get it." He said smugly.

"Can I just have a damn shirt, please?" She retorted. He opened the closet he had in the office and tossed her one of his button-down shirts. "Thank you." She said putting it on. "So, what are you working on?" She asked.

"Oh, you mean before you came in here and pounced on me." He egged her on.

"Yeah, before that." She glared at him.

"I was just working on the budget for the fall quarter. Just making sure everything is legit and right within the budget." He answered.

"And is everything okay?" She asked.

"Yup. Everything's as is." He answered. "How's the budget coming along for the new marketing angle?" He asked.

"Good. Speaking of, I do actually need to talk to Allouri about the designs." She said climbing off of his desk. He handed her jacket to her as she threw it on. Once it was all buttoned up, she stood in front of him and fixed the tie around his neck. She leaned forward giving him a chaste kiss before turning to leave. "Thanks for the quickie, honey." He called out to her as she was walking towards the door. "Bite me." She said.

"Gladly." He responded as she rolled her eyes.

"Hey, don't forget. We have that charity event tonight. It begins at eight o'clock." She reminded him.

"Of course, I haven't forgotten. Be ready by seven. I'll be home around six thirty to take a quick shower." He said.

"Okay." She said.

"I mean it, Haley, be ready by seven." He warned knowing how she gets.

"Okay, dad. And in case you forgot, I was the one who brought it up." She retorted before walking out completely.

The charity event was going very smoothly. Nathan and Haley had put up a very generous donation with their company. It was well passed midnight. Nathan was still mingling with some new potential business associates. Haley had got sucked in by some of the wives and disappeared from his sight a little over an hour ago. He knew she had to be going out of her mind by this point. She hated those women-they were shallow and only came to these events to get noticed by the press for their "charitable contributions". He looked around and noticed her sitting at a table with her head on it fast asleep. He chuckled. "Your wife looks like she's reached her limit." The man he was talking to stated chuckling along with him.

"Yeah, I think it's time to go home. Well, it was a pleasure talking with you. I'll get in touch with you about that proposal." Nathan said extending his hand. The man returned the gesture. After he was gone, Nathan made his way over to Haley. "Haley. Haley, it's time to go home." He whispered waking her up. She stirred awake confused by her surroundings. "Where are we?" She asked sleepily.

"We're still at the charity event, but we can go home now." He answered as she slightly nodded. She stood up, and he helped her put her coat on. "You ready to go?" He asked as she nodded leaning into his body. He smiled and led her out to his SUV.

He pulled into their driveway and noticed she was out like a light. He opened the passenger door and sweeped her up into his arms as she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck. He carried her up to _their_ bedroom. Ever since they've started sleeping together, he moved into the master bedroom for "easier" access to one another. He set her down on the bed before riffling through some drawers finding a pair of shorts and tank top. He took her dress off and placed the other clothes on her with some great difficulty. He pulled back the comforter and tucked her tightly in them. He kissed her gently on her forehead before heading into the bathroom to change. He climbed into the bed shortly later wrapping his arms around Haley pulling her further into him so her back was flush against his chest falling into a deep slumber.

Haley awoke to the smell of breakfast. She opened her eyes and saw Nathan walking into the bedroom with a tray full of food. "Good morning." He greeted setting the tray above her legs. He climbed into the opposite side next to her kissing her on the cheek. "Mmm, good morning. What's got you in such a chipper mood this morning?" She asked.

"No reason. I had a great evening and just wanted to do something nice." He replied.

"Uh huh." She said skeptically.

"What? A man can't do something nice for his wife?" He complained.

"A loving husband, maybe. You-not so much." She commented.

"Oh, really." He said as he began to tickle her.

"Stop it, Nathan. I'm serious, I'm going to spill this food all over you." She said laughing.

"Fine. But I'll get you back for that comment later." He said ceasing his movements. He reached over and grabbed a piece of bacon off her plate. "It's good, isn't it?" He said.

"It is. I'm impressed." She responded. "I'm rubbing off on you, aren't I?" She continued.

"That's all me, baby." He smirked winking at her as she rolled her eyes playfully. They finished eating while making some light conversation. Once the food was gone, Nathan set the tray off to the side of the bed on the floor before leaning back against the headboard. Haley curled into the side of his body. "Hey, I was thinking about something." She said drawing patterns on his bare chest.

"What's up?" He asked relaxing under her touch.

"Well, our one year anniversary is coming up next Friday." She began.

"Yeah." He prodded.

"I was thinking we could take a little vacation. Maybe somewhere warm and _very secluded_." She said saying that last part in a whisper.

"Oh yeah." He said smirking.

"Yeah, we could get one of those private villas on a private beach. It's been a long year. I think we've deserved some time away just the two of us. Don't you think?" She asked hopeful.

"Sounds nice and relaxing. Sure, if you want to go, we can go." He said. She smiled strattling his lap. "Good, because I've already booked the flights and the villa." She revealed kissing him. She felt his hands run up her thighs until they reached underneath her shorts. "You are something else, Haley James Scott." He whispered capturing her in another kiss. His hands pulled her roughly against him as she came into direct contact with his arousal. "I think I'm going to go take a shower. Care to join me?" She offered suggestively.

"Absolutely." He agreed as they quickly jumped out of the bed running into the bathroom.

* * *

"Haley James Scott, I can't believe you're leaving me to go off with your husband! What the hell?" Brooke complained as the two girls were eating lunch.

"Sorry, Brooke, but I need a vacation. And I'm in desperate need of a tan." Haley said.

"That's true." Brooke commented as Haley shoved her. "Ohh, this means we get to go shopping!" Brooke exclaimed clapping her hands together. "Let's go!" She said pulling Haley out of the chair.

They arrived at the mall a few minutes later heading straight to Express looking for new bathing suits. "Hales, you've gotta try this one on. It is going to look amazing on you." Brooke gushed holding up an emerald green bikini. The top had a horizontal lay across the breasts with a rectangular jewel piece connecting in the center. The bottoms were just a simple string bikini style. Haley reluctantly took the bathing suit and headed into the dressing room. She hurriedly put it on and stepped out. "Yup, that's the one. Well, at least one of the ones you'll be purchasing. What do you think?" Brooke stated.

"I like it. And I think N...I really like it." She said catching her almost slip. Luckily, Brooke didn't seem to notice the name she was about to mention at all. "So, I like that striped one over there, too." She said grabbing the bikini off of the rack. Haley sighed in relief. She wasn't ready to open that can of worms. "You know what we need to do?" Brooke asked breaking her thoughts.

"What?" Haley asked.

"You, me, Lucas, and Nathan should all go on a weekend getaway some time-just the four of us. My parents have a cabin up in Colorado at some ski resort. We need to go. I mean, not now. Maybe around Christmas time. That would be so much fun!" Brooke suggested.

"Yeah, that does sound like fun." Haley agreed smiling. Her mind instantly went to cuddling with Nathan in front of the fire after a day on the slopes. _'Where the hell did that come from?'_ She asked herself shaking her thoughts away.

"Hey, while we're here, I need to find some sexy lingerae for Lucas. You know his birthday is coming up, and I have some very kinky sex planned." Brooke smirked.

"Oh, Brooke, you are too much sometimes." Haley laughed.

"Oh, you're just jealous that I'm getting some and you're not." Brooke joked laughing while making her way into the next store. _'Oh, if only you knew.' _Haley thought taking a deep breath before following her friend.

Brooke was currently trying on one of the many dozens of outfits she took into the fitting room with her. Haley made her way around the store looking for something for her vacation. She settled on a few pieces of lingerae she thought Nathan might enjoy and made a quick dash to the cash register purchasing the items before Brooke finished. The sales lady handed her the bag just as she saw Brooke coming out of the dressing room. She thanked the lady before making her way back over to Brooke. "What did you buy, Miss Haley James?" She asked in a squeeky voice filled with interest.

"Oh, I needed some more lotions and fragrances. My Love Spell ran out the other day, and that is a must have for a girl. I figured I'd stock up now and take a couple with me to Aruba." Haley covered.

"Ohh, good idea. I need to stock up too while I'm at it." Brooke said as Haley nodded. "Anyway, I think I have found the perfect birthday present for Lucas." She stated holding up a pink see-thru teddy. "That's very sexy, Brooke." Haley stated.

"I know, and it looks amazing on me." Brooke said before heading to the cash register. Haley couldn't help but laugh at her. Brooke Davis sure was one of a kind.

* * *

"Oh my gosh, this is amazing!" Haley gushed as the bell boy showed her and Nathan to their villa. Nathan gave the bell boy a generous tip. He thanked him before leaving the two alone. "Nathan, isn't this amazing?" She asked. He looked at her and noticed the gleam in her eyes as her whole face was glowing. _'God, she's beautiful.'_ He thought before walking over to her. "It is amazing! So, are you glad we came?" He asked wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Yes! What about you?" She asked wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I am if you are." He commented as she smiled and kissed him softly. "You want to go sight seeing?" She murmered against his lips.

"I'm kind of tired. I could take a nice little nap." He said kinking his eyebrows letting her know sleeping wasn't exactly what he had on his mind.

"Well, then, maybe you should take me over to the bed and prove to me how tired you are." She said as he picked her up and swiftly took her over to the bed.

Three hours later, they were laying along the beach soaking up some sun. They were laying side by side with their hands interlaced together. "That bikini looks amazing on you, Hales." Nathan commented.

"Thanks. Brooke found it for me and insisted I buy it." She responded.

"She was right. Remind me to thank her when we get back home." He said and noticed the blush that spread across her face. He found it adorable and incredibly sexy. It amazed him that even after all the sex they've engaged in and the many things he's done to her, she still blushed over things like that. She turned over onto her stomach. "Hey, will you put some more lotion on my back?" She asked.

"Sure." He said grabbing the lotion. He put a small amount in his hands and began massaging it onto her skin. "Mmm, that feels so good." She moaned. He moved his hands to the center of her back where the string of her bikini was tied. He slowly undid the strings and watched as they fell to the sides of her body. He massaged some more lotion onto her back before leaning down and placing kisses all along her bare back. "What do you think you're doing?" She asked.

"Nothing." He smirked. He moved his kisses to her neck and further up reaching her ear. "You know, this is a very private beach just like you wanted." He whispered.

"I know, but I wanted to actually lay out and get a tan." She countered.

"You don't need a tan. What you need is some good old fashioned beach sex." He said kissing her on the neck.

"Geez, Nate, you're insatiable. You know that." She laughed.

"Only when it comes to you." He stated. "Come on, Hales." He tempted her while running his fingers up and down her back.

"How about we wait till tonight? Right now, I want to lay here in the hot sun. Later tonight, we have dinner reservations. And then, we can go back to the villa and you know." She suggested.

"Fine, I suppose I can wait until then." He said settling back down next to her.

* * *

The next night, Haley was in the mirror getting ready. It was their one year anniversary tonight, and Nathan told Haley that he had a surprise for her. "You ready, Hales." She heard him call from the other room.

"Yeah, I'll be right out." She answered as she took one last look at herself in the mirror before walking out into the room where Nathan was standing waiting. Nathan's breath caught in his throat when he saw her. She was wearing a pale pink strapless, skin-tight dress which stopped at her mid-thigh. She was showing a considerable amount of cleavage while still remaining elegant and classy. She looked like a goddess. "Wow, you look amazing." He stuttered. She smiled at his reaction. "You look very handsome yourself." She commented. He walked over to her and leaned down capturing her lips with his in a sensual kiss. "We should get going." He said after taking a moment to pull himself together.

"Okay." She said.

Shortly later, he led them down to the beach. "Nathan, what are we..." She stopped mid-sentence when she noticed the beach. There was a small table set up with some food and wine. There were candles flickering all around it. She then noticed some blankets and pillows set up on the sand. "This is amazing, Nathan. I can't believe you did this." She gushed with tears in her eyes.

"Happy Anniversary, Hales." He said. He led her to the table and pulled her chair out and waited for her to sit down. They began eating as he opened the bottle of wine pouring them both a glass. Once they finished their meals, Nathan stood up and put his hand out to her. "Would you like to dance, Haley?" He asked.

"There's no music." She stated.

"It's okay-just listen to the waves." He said pulling her up. He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist as her left arm wound around his neck. She rested the left side of her face against his chest bringing her right hand to rest flat against his chest as well. They stayed in that position for several minutes swaying to the sound of the ocean. Haley felt a swirl of emotions pass through her body and before she could think about what it all meant, she reached up and kissed him with everything she had. She caressed his cheek as he pulled her into his body trying to get as close to her as he possbily could. He felt her small fingers unbottoning his shirt slowly. She finally got the last button undone and glided the shirt off his body. She ran her fingers under the undershirt he had on before grabbing the hem and pushing it up and over his head. She then set to work on his pants-undoing them and pushing them down his legs along with his boxers. She broke the kiss and moved her lips down to his chest and planted hot open-mouthed kisses along his skin. He turned her around slowly and lowered the zipper on the back of her dress down. He pushed her dress down her body placing kisses along her back along the way. She turned around kissing him once again. She felt him lower them onto the blankets spread along the sand. They kissed slowly and passionately. There was no need or want to speed up their movements. This time felt incredibly different from all of the other times they've been together-and there's been a lot. She felt him moving towards her entrance before pushing himself into her as they both moaned at the feeling. They soon found a slow rhythm never breaking their kiss. After several minutes, they felt their bodies reacting as they both came explosively moaning each other's names in the process. Nathan caressed her cheek kissing her one last time before pulling out of her. He layed beside her pulling her into his body no words being spoken between the two of them. There was nothing but the sound of the waves splashing in the ocean as they fell asleep safely enconsed in each other's embrace.

**Okay, there you go. Again, I want to thank you for your amazing reviews. You guys are all so awesome! I'm glad you're still enjoying this story. Just to let you know, if you're reading Never Forgotten, I haven't forgotten about that story. I just haven't found a lot of inspiration for it right now. I'm not giving up on it-I'm just trying to decide where I want to take it next. So please, don't lose hope in it. An update will be coming-I just don't know when. Hopefully, soon! But anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well. I'll have another chapter up either Saturday night or Sunday night. Until then!**


	8. Chapter 8

"Nathan, it's so wonderful to see you." Sheila greeted.

"Sheila, it's wonderful seeing you as well." Nathan greeted as the two embraced in a warm hug. "What brings you by here?" He asked.

"I just thought I would check on your mom. I don't get the chance to come out here very often since they've moved her out of the hospital. And it's the best of both worlds, I get to see you, too." She answered.

"Well, it's always a great day when you get to see me." He said smugly.

"Oh, how does Haley live with you?" She joked as they laughed. "Speaking of, where is that pretty little wife of yours?" She asked.

"She's at home. She hasn't been feeling very well, and I told her she's on strict bedrest." He responded.

"Oh, poor thing. Too bad, I was hoping I would get to see her." She stated. "So, how's she doing?" She asked pointing to his mom.

"The same." He answered vaguely.

"I'm sorry, Nathan." She said sympathetically.

"It's okay. What can I do?" He said rhetorically.

"How's the rest of life treating you? Come on, tell me all about it." She said changing the subject as they both sat on some chairs. A few minutes later, a voice sounded from the doorway. They turned and saw Haley standing there. "What are you doing out of bed?" Nathan asked immediately making his way over to her. "I thought I told you to stay in bed." He continued.

"I'm fine. I was going crazy sitting in that bed all day." She answered.

"Haley, you need to stay in bed. You're sick, and you're not going to get better by running all over the place." He said.

"I'm not running all over the place. I climbed out of bed, saw your note stating you'd be here, and drove straight over here. See, I'm not running all over the place." She explained.

"You should still be in bed." He said having to get the final word causing her to laugh. She turned her attention to Sheila. "Hi, Sheila, it's good seeing you again." She said steppping around Nathan. He rolled his eyes at her before following her.

"Hi, Haley. I was disappointed when I found out you weren't here today. Nathan told me that you haven't been feeling very well. Are you okay, sweetie?" She asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. Nathan's just overexaggerating things." Haley commented. Nathan sat back down on the chair and pulled Haley into his lap. She cuddled into him as the three of them resumed talking. After a few minutes, Haley slowly started getting up. "Where are you going?" Nathan asked sternly.

"I was just going to grab something to drink." She answered.

"Oh, no, you don't." He said lifting her off of him standing up himself while placing her back down onto the chair. "You stay right here. I'll go get it. Do you just want some tea or something?" He asked.

"Yeah, herbal tea sounds great." She answered.

"Okay, I'll be right back." He said kissing her on the forehead before walking away. "Stay there. Sheila, you better keep an eye on her." He called before disappearing from sight. Sheila smiled as she witnessed the two of them. They were very affectionate with one another. While they were sitting in the chair, they were cuddled up closely with one another. Haley kept her head laying on his chest while he was gently stroking her hair. And just now, with that little display, she couldn't help but smile. "So, how long have you been feeling sick?" She asked.

"Just a couple days." Haley answered.

"What's wrong?" Sheila asked.

"I don't know. My body aches. And I've been feeling really exhausted, and I've been throwing up. I thought it was maybe something I ate, but now, I think it's just the flu." Haley explained.

"Nathan seems really worried." Sheila commented.

"Yeah, I told him it's unnecessary. He's just so overprotective. It's kind of smothering." Haley said.

"He cares about you." Sheila stated. She watched Haley shake her head slightly with doubt. She was amazed at how clueless two people could be. "So, how's he doing with his mom still in the state she's in?" She asked changing the subject.

"I don't know. I'm worried about him. I don't think he's ready to face the fact that she might not wake up. There has been no change in her condition since that one time while we were on our honeymoon. He became so hopeful after that. I don't know, I just worry about him." Haley answered.

"It'll be okay. He has you." Sheila commented. Before Haley could respond, Nathan came back into the room. He handed her the tea. She thanked him while taking the mug out of his hand. He once again sat back down on the chair pulling her into his lap. This time he brought a blanket with him and wrapped it around her before they settled comfortably. The three of them continued talking for about an hour before Sheila announced she had to get going. They said their goodbyes. Once she was gone, Nathan and Haley went to Nathan's old bedroom to take a nap. Haley fell asleep as soon as they hit the mattress. Nathan was increasingly worried about her. He didn't know what was wrong. She insisted it was just the flu, but he was doubtful. He wanted to take her to the doctor, but she refused. She agreed that if she wasn't feeling better in a couple of days, she would go. He knew how stubborn she could be. He decided to give her a couple days, but then he was going to drag her into that hospital kicking and screaming if he had to.

* * *

"Okay, people! The fashion show is in three months. Where are your heads at?" Brooke exclaimed while running around her store like a crazy person. "We've got three months left, and nothing is ready! Come on, I need your help. I'm stressing out here!" She continued to rant. "Haley, where the hell have you been? You've been in that bathroom for like an hour!" She exclaimed when she saw Haley coming back onto the salesfloor.

"Sorry, Brooke. I'm not feeling very well." Haley said.

"I don't care how you're feeling, Haley. We are already behind on schedule, and I need you to focus. If you can't be here one hundred percent, then, don't be here at all!" Brook exclaimed. She immediately felt guilty when she saw Haley start crying. "Oh my God, Hales, I'm so sorry. I tend to get a little crazy and mean when I'm stressed out. I'm sorry." She said pulling Haley into a tight embrace. "Okay, I know I was kind of a bitch, but can you at least talk to me?" Brooke stated when Haley remained silent.

"Sorry, it's just been a rough day. I wasn't crying because of you. I'm just really exhausted." Haley said.

"How about we take a little break and go grab some lunch." Brooke suggested as Haley nodded in response.

"So, how have you been?" Brooke asked while they were eating.

"Pregnant." Haley announced. The second that word left her mouth she felt the contents of Brooke's drink all over her face. She grabbed a napkin and wiped the wetness from her face. She looked up to Brooke who wore an expression of shock. "I'm sorry, what did you just say?" Brooke asked.

"I'm pregnant." Haley repeated timidly.

"What? How? I mean, wow. I thought you and Nathan were going to wait until closer to your five year mark. You were going to get insemenated. What happened? Did you decide to do it earlier?" Brooke asked confused.

"No, we didn't decide to do it earlier." Haley said.

"Then how?" Brooke asked. Haley gave her a look which Brooke immediately caught onto. "Oh my God, you two slept together!" Brooke exclaimed.

"Thanks, Brooke. Be a little louder-I don't think the whole restaurant heard you." Haley said embarrassed.

"I'm sorry. It's just, when?" She asked.

"Ten months ago." Haley answered.

"Ten months? That doesn't make any sense." Brooke stated confused.

"Well, we slept together the first time ten months ago. And we've kind of been sleeping together since then." Haley clearified.

"What!" She exclaimed.

"Brooke, please keep your voice down." Haley begged. Brooke whispered 'I'm sorry' and nodded her head. "Haley, why didn't you tell me? Wait, why the hell didn't I see it? I've got a sixth sense for this kind of thing." Brooke said.

"It wasn't a big deal. And I didn't want you or Lucas making a big deal out of it." Haley commented.

"Haley, it is a big deal. I'm sorry, but it is. Are you guys together now-like together, together?" Brooke asked. Haley rolled her eyes. She knew this conversation would turn into that. "No, Brooke, we aren't together. We were just having a little fun. We're stuck in this marriage and figured we might as well reap the benefits." She said.

"Haley, you gave up your virginity to him. I know you. That's not something you take lightly. I know there's something more going on here." Brooke said carefully. Haley didn't say anything. She looked down to her hands where she was fidgeting with them. "You love him, don't you?" Brooke stated quietly.

"I wasn't in love with him the first night we had sex. I was feeling things, and I realized I wanted to give him the most precious thing I had to offer. I didn't know what I was feeling. I know it wasn't love, but it was something. The feelings became stronger the more we slept together. It wasn't just because of the sex either. He was sweet. He did things for me he never did before then. I realized how I felt on our vacation to Aruba. On our one year anniversary actually. We spent a romantic evening together on the beach. It was perfect-he was perfect. We had sex. It was amazing and intense. I woke up in the middle of the night curled into his side. I was watching him sleep, and that's when I knew." Haley explained.

"That's great, Hales." Brooke gushed.

"What's so great about it? I'm in love with a guy who doesn't love me back. And now, I'm freaken pregnant with his baby!" Haley exclaimed.

"Hales, Nathan does love you." Brooke stated as Haley shook her head in disagreement. "He does, Haley." Brooke reasssured. "Have you told Nathan about the baby yet?" Brooke asked changing the subject knowing there was no point in trying to get through to Haley right now. She was emotional and full of too many doubts.

"Nope, I'm really scared. Obviously, we both knew this was going to happen eventually but not now. I'm afraid of how he will react when I tell him." Haley admitted.

"You should tell him, Hales. I don't think he's going to react the way you think." Brooke encouraged. She knew Nathan was in love with Haley, even if he wasn't ready to admit it. She genuinely feels that Nathan would like the idea of having a baby right now, because he would be having it with Haley. She studied Haley's face and felt for her friend. She could see the doubts and sadness written all over it. She wished there were some words she could say to her, but she knew there was nothing that could be said to make her feel any better.

* * *

"Hey, Nathan. You're home early." Haley said glancing at the clock.

"Yeah, I am. Listen, Hales, I'm taking you to the doctor. I gave you a couple of days to get better, and it's been three. Now, I know you're stubborn, but I'm worried about you. So, you're going to that hospital. Now, am I going to have to drag you kicking and screaming? Or will you come willingly?" Nathan said sternly.

"Nathan, I'm not going to the doctor." Haley said.

"Fine. I'll make you go." He said walking over to her.

"No, Nathan, I'm not going because I know what's wrong with me." She said timidly.

"Oh my gosh, what's going on? It's something big, isn't it?" He said in a panic.

"It's not a bad thing-depending on how you look at it." She said. Nathan took a seat next to her and enconsed her hand within his. "What's going on, Hales?" He asked.

"I'm pregnant." She revealed quietly. Nathan immediately dropped her hand and stood up pacing the floor. "Nathan, will you please stop pacing. You're making me sick." She said after a few minutes. He turned to look at her. He didn't say anything-he just stared at her. "Can you tell me what you're thinking?" She asked.

"I just...are you sure?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure. I took three tests. They were all positive. And then, I even went to the doctor to have it confirmed." She answered.

"Why didn't you tell me? I would have went with you to the doctor." He said.

"I'm sorry." She apologized quietly.

"So, how far along are you?" He asked.

"Nine weeks." She answered. He took a seat next to her as they both sat in silence. It wasn't until he heard a sniffle that he noticed she was crying. "Hey, it's okay." He turned to her and pulled her into his arms. "We're gonna figure this out. Granted, it's sooner than we expected, but we'll make it work. I'm gonna be there for you every step of the way. We are in this together, okay?" He reassured her. She nodded her head weakly at him. "How have you been feeling?" He asked.

"Terrible. Morning sickness-yeah, I'll show them morning sickness." She commented causing him to laugh.

"Are you feeling okay right now?" He asked.

"Yeah." She answered. He turned to her and placed his hand on her stomach. "So, there's an actual baby in there." He said with a smile. Her heart fluttered when she saw his face. "Yeah, there's an actual baby in there." She said quietly as he looked into her eyes. He moved his hand up to her cheek and caressed it gently before leaning in and kissing her softly. It was an intimate kiss full of passion. The kiss lasted several minutes before they both were craving something more. He pulled her into his lap. She threw her arms around his neck tightly while he gripped her waist pulling her into him trying to get them as close as they can. She reached for the hem of his shirt pulling it off his body. He quickly followed and did the same with hers before he flipped them over laying her down on the bed. He tore his lips away from hers and descended them down to her neck. He sucked on the flesh of her skin as her breathing became more rapid. He moved his kisses down to her chest and moved passed her bra-clad breasts straight to her stomach. He layed hot open-mouthed kisses along her skin. "Nathan." She moaned at the sensations he was creating within her. He pulled back slightly and caressed her stomach before moving his head back down to kiss it once again. "Nathan."

"I know." He moaned huskily against her skin.

"No, get off!" She exclaimed pushing him off of her and running into the bathroom. The door slammed shut behind her as he sat on the bed looking towards the closed door. After a second, he climbed off the bed and walked over to the bathroom knocking on the door. "Haley. Haley, are you okay?" He asked concerned. After receiving no answer, he tried the door and was relieved when it was unlocked. He walked in and saw her hovering over the toilet throwing up. He quickly bent down behind her and pulled her hair back. He gently rubbed his other hand up and down her back in comfort. "It's okay. I'm right here." He said. Another minute passed before she finished and backed away and leaned back into his arms. "I'm sorry, Haley. I'm sorry you have to go through this." He apologized holding her in his arms.

"You should be sorry." She joked causing him to laugh. "This is all your fault, you know. I blame you entirely for how I'm feeling." She continued.

"Okay, that's fair." He agreed laughing. "Come on, let's get you to bed." He said helping her off the floor.

"Wait, I need to brush my teeth first." She said.

"Please do. Can you handle it yourself?" He asked as she nodded. He kissed her on the back of her head before leaving the bathroom. He changed into some sweatpants and a t-shirt and climbed into the bed. Haley came out shortly later and changed into some shorts and a tank top. She turned around and noticed Nathan watching her. She smiled climbing into the bed cuddling into his side. "So, when do we find out if it's a boy or a girl." He asked rubbing her arms.

"The doctor said usually around the twenty-fifth week if the angle is right. Let me guess, you want a boy." She said.

"Actually, I would like to have a little girl." He revealed as she lifted up and looked at him skeptically. "It's true. I admit this is happening sooner than I thought it would, but I have thought about it before. And I've always wanted to have a girl. She'd be my very own 'daddy's little girl'. I want a little girl just like you." He stated. She blushed glancing away, but he pulled her face back to look at him. She leaned in and kissed him sweetly. She climbed on top of him without breaking their kiss. "I'm feeling a whole lot better." She mumbled against his lips.

"Good, because I want you right now." He said slipping his fingers underneath her shorts.

* * *

"Nathan! Haley! Thank goodness you're here!" Brooke exclaimed embracing them both in a hug. It was three months later. It was a Friday night-the night of Brooke's fashion show. Haley was now twenty-six weeks into her pregnancy and just beginning to show. Things have been going well so far. She's still been really sick the passed three months, but everything with the pregnancy has been progressing well. She and Nathan have been bonding over the baby and have become even closer. Haley still hasn't admitted to him that she loves him, but she had been thinking about what Brooke said when Haley admitted she was pregnant. She was starting to believe that just maybe Nathan is in love with her, too.

"Brooke, this place looks amazing. It's your big night! Are you excited?" Haley asked.

"Excited. Nervous. Scared to death." She answered.

"You're going to do great, Brooke." Haley reassured.

"Where's Lucas?" Nathan asked.

"He went to get me a drink. You know-something to take the edge off. But speaking of, he's been gone a long time. And I kind of need it like right now!" Brooke said freaking out.

"Okay, calm down. I'm sure he'll be here any minute. And you are an amazing designer, and this is going to be an amazing night." Haley said calming her down.

"Thank you. I needed that. How are you doing?" Brooke asked touching Haley's small baby bump.

"Me and baby are great. We're finding out the sex on Sunday." Haley said excitedly.

"Oh, I can't wait! I'm gonna be an aunt soon!" Brooke gushed while bending down to Haley's stomach. "Hi, baby. It's your favorite Auntie Brooke. Just want you to know that we're all so excited to meet you." She said. Haley looked over to Nathan as they smiled at each other. "Brooke, we need you backstage. There's a small wardrobe problem." A girl said interrupting them.

"Rachel?" Nathan said staring at the girl in front of him.

"Nathan? Oh my gosh!" The girl said pulling him into a hug. Haley watched the scene in front of her and felt something in the pit of her stomach. She cringed when the hug lasted a little longer than she felt necessary. They pulled apart but still held onto one another. "What are you doing here?" He asked still shocked.

"I'm a model now in New York. My agent set me up with this fashion show. So, here I am." She explained.

"Yeah." He said.

"And here you are." She said as they smiled at one another. Haley stood off to the side unnoticed while the two were alone in their own little world. She turned her attention to the girl standing closely to her husband. She was tall and skinny. She had red-hair and flawless skin. She was gorgeous.

"You two know each other?" Brooke asked drawing the two out of their staring contest.

"Yeah, Rachel's my ex-girlfriend from Duke." Nathan answered breaking out of his trans. He finally noticed Haley standing to his side fidgeting with her hands looking to the ground. "Rachel, this is wife, Haley." He introduced pulling Haley into his side. He could feel how tense her body was.

"Yeah, I heard you got married. Hi, I'm Rachel." Rachel said extending her right hand out to her.

"Hi, I'm Haley. Nice to meet you." Haley said shaking her hand hesitantly. Brooke immediately picked up on Haley's uneasiness and intervened. "Come on, Rachel. We better go rectify the wardrobe situation." She said pulling the red-head along with her. "I'll catch up with you later, Nathan." Rachel called over her shoulder with a smile which he quickly returned. After the two girls were out of sight, he turned his attention back to Haley. "So, that was Rachel." She commented quietly.

"Yeah, that was Rachel." He stated.

"She's pretty." She said quietly avoiding his eyes.

"Haley, there's not..."

"Hey, you guys made it." Lucas said interrupting Nathan. They shook hands before Lucas pulled Haley into a hug. "Where's my wife. She desperately needed some alcohol." He said.

"She had to go backstage-some wardrobe thing." Nathan answered.

"Oh, okay. Well, I guess I'll drink this. Come on, lets go find our seats. The shows going to start soon." Lucas said leading the three of them to their seats. Haley was sitting in the middle of them. Nathan interlaced their hands and placed them in his lap. He sighed when she didn't even look at him. He noticed Lucas leaning in and whispering something in her ear.

"You okay? You're kind of quiet." Lucas said. Haley didn't move her eyes from the stage but nodded her head. "You sure?" He asked again unconvinced. "I'm fine." She answered without looking at him. "Okay. Well, I'm here if you need to talk." He reminded her. She nodded as the lights came down and Brooke appeared on the stage.

"Thank you for coming everyone. I appreciate you traveling here from whereever it is you came from. I am blown away by the response I received from my clothing line. I have had amazing friends and family willing to help me in any and every way possible for Clothes Over Bros to even exist. I've had the loving support from my husband whom I love completely.  
And I've had the monetary and loving support from my best friend, Haley James Scott. She believed in me and put up the money I needed to start this line. And she has helped me so much from the start. She's never left my side. I owe this to her. Thank you. So, having said this-please, sit back and enjoy the show." Brooke finished stepping off the stage as the music began playing and the models started walking the runway.

After several models, Rachel stepped onto the stage. Haley felt Nathan's hold on her hand loosen and turned her head in his direction. She watched as his eyes were glued to Rachel. She watched the way his eyes wandered up and down her body and leaned forward a little in his chair. She turned her head back to the stage slightly and watched as Rachel sent him a wink and Nathan smiled back at her. Haley felt the tears spring to her eyes and had to fight hard to keep them from falling. The rest of the show was a blurr to her. All she wanted was to crawl into bed underneath the covers and cry.

* * *

"How are you feeling today, Haley?" The doctor asked.

"I'm fine. How are you, Dr. Bryan?" Haley asked politely.

"I'm well. And what about all the other days? Are you feeling any pain or discomfort of any kind?" He asked.

"No-no pain. I'm still feeling sick all the time. And I'm still throwing up every hour of everyday. But other than that, I'm feeling fine." She answered.

"Okay, well, lets get started. Will Nathan be joining us today?" Dr. Bryan asked.

"No, he...umm, he had to work today." She stated sadly as Dr. Bryan nodded in understanding. "Okay, well go ahead and lean back. We'll go ahead and get started on the ultra sound." He said. Haley leaned back into the chair as he turned on the screen. After a few minutes of studying the screen, Dr. Bryan spoke. "Okay, everything seems to be progressing nicely. The baby is cooperating with us today. Do you want to know the sex?"

"Yeah." She responded.

"Congratulations, Mrs. Scott. You're having a girl." He revealed.

"What? Are you serious? Oh my gosh." She said. Dr. Bryan smiled at her and handed her a new sonogram picture. She stared at it as her tears fell down her cheeks. "A girl." She said quietly.

* * *

It was about five till nine later that night. Haley was laying in bed when she heard the bedroom door open. She looked up and saw Nathan finally walking in. "Hey." She greeted quietly.

"Hey, I thought you were sleeping." He said.

"Nope, just laying here trying to fall asleep. Where have you been all day?" She asked nervously.

"Oh, I had to run into town to pick up some stuff from work and ran into Rachel. We started talking and decided to go out to lunch." He said.

"It's nine o'clock at night. I tried calling you." She said incredulously.

"Yeah, we kind of lost track of time catching up. We were there already and decided to just have dinner as well." He said as he was changing his clothes. Once he was finished, he climbed into the bed. "So, what did you do all day?" He asked.

"Nothing. I just went over to Lucas' and Brooke's all day." She lied turning around so her back was facing Nathan. "That's nice." He commented leaning forward to kiss her on the back of the head before settling back onto the other side and quickly falling asleep while Haley cried herself to sleep that night.

**There you go-don't hate me. What's a story without a little drama. I would just like to point out that I know nothing about pregnancy personally since I've never been pregnant. But I'm using examples from my sister's pregnancy. She was extremely sick up until about her sixth month of pregnancy. I always felt so bad because my big sister would always call me at random times crying about how horrible she was feeling and how she hated pregnancy. So, anyway, I just wanted you guys to know that's where I'm getting my ideas from in writing Haley's pregnancy. Really weird and crazy-my sister's name is Haley. LOL! But anyway, thanks for your awesome reviews. You guys rock! Please continue reading and telling me what you think. And, I should have another update for you sometime on Sunday. Until then!**


	9. Chapter 9

Nathan awoke the next morning and reached over to cuddle with his wife only to find the other side of the bed empty. _'That's weird. She never gets up before me.'_ He thought. His first instinct was to check the bathroom considering how much she's been throwing up. He opened the door only to find it empty. He quickly searched the house before realizing she wasn't home. He ran back up to the bedroom, grabbed his cell phone, and dialed her number.

Haley felt her phone vibrating against the table and quickly hit ignore. She wasn't in the mood to deal with him right now. Last night, she was upset. Today, she was pissed off. _'How could he miss our appointment? He was more excited than I was to find out the sex of the baby. And to top it off, he missed it because of her. His freaken gorgeous, model of an ex-girlfriend. He just forgot. He forgot completely. How could he forget?'_ Her thoughts were put on hold when her phone began vibrating. Nathan-again. She hit ignore again. Sure enough, as soon as she rejected his call, it vibrated again. "Leave me the hell alone!" She yelled out frustrated.

"You okay, Hales?" She turned and noticed Lucas standing there. "Oh, hey, Luke. Sorry about that. It's just..."

"Pregnancy hormones?" He added in.

"Yeah, sure, we'll go with that." She said.

"What's wrong, buddy?" He asked sliding into the opposite side of the booth.

"Nothing. I'm just tired." She brushed off.

"Well, it is seven forty-two." He said looking at his watch. "Shouldn't you be in bed sleeping, especially with your condition."

"Condition? Luke, I'm pregnant not disabled." She laughed.

"I know, I'm sorry. That came out wrong." He said laughing along with her. "I miss this. We don't do this enough-talk just the two of us." He stated.

"I know. I miss this, too." She agreed reaching over the table and grabbing his hands. A comfortable silence fell over them until Haley broke it. "The baby's a girl."

"Really?" He asked as she nodded. "Hales, that's awesome. I always pictured you having a little girl first. How's Nathan feel about this?"

"Oh, umm...well, he wanted a girl." She said dodging the actual question. The two sat in the cafe talking for a couple more hours before Haley announced she had to get home. She pulled into the driveway and was relieved when she noticed Nathan's SUV missing. She still wasn't quite ready to deal with him. She went inside. She changed into a pair of pajama shorts and found one of Nathan's sweatshirts before pulling it over her head. She grabbed a blanket, a book, and cuddled on the couch in the family room.

Nathan returned home after work that night. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw Haley's car. He headed into the house and went in search of her. He found her asleep on the couch. "Where the hell were you this morning?" He yelled causing her to stirr awake. "Where were you this morning?" He asked again.

"I was at the cafe." She answered.

"And was your phone broken? I tried calling you-several times." He stated.

"No, my phone wasn't broken. I just ignored your calls." She retaliated.

"Gosh, Haley, I was worried about you. You could have at least left me a note or actually answered my damn calls." He said.

"I'm sorry, but I needed to get out of the house. And excuse me, but you weren't exactly my concern at the moment. I don't base what I'm going to do during the day around you." She said.

"That's my baby, too, Haley. You've been really sick ever since you got pregnant. Excuse me for worrying about my baby." He retorted. She didn't say anything. She just glared at him. "I want to know what you're doing throughout the day. I need to know that you're okay." He continued.

"You didn't seem to care yesterday." She mumbled inaudibly.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing. From now on, I will tell you where I am every second of every day." She claimed sarcastically before standing up and walking out of the room ignoring Nathan calling her name. He ran his hands over his face in frustration. He was shocked when he heard the bedroom door slam shut from all the way downstairs. He walked up the stairs and went to open their bedroom door only to find it locked. "What the hell? Haley, open the door!" He yelled.

"No! I don't want to talk to you. I don't want to see you. Just stay the hell away from me!" She yelled from the opposite side.

"God, did you receive a fresh batch of pregnancy hormones today or something?" He yelled. A minute later, he heard her unlocking the door. He smirked. That was until she opened the door long enough to throw out some of his clothes before slamming the door shut and latching the lock again. "Damn it, Haley! Open the door!"

"Go away, Nathan! And don't even think about trying to unlatch this lock!" She warned. Nathan angrily stalked off to the guest bedroom. A bedroom he hasn't slept in in over a year. A bedroom he didn't want to sleep in, because he wanted to sleep next to Haley. He wanted to fall asleep with her in his arms.

The next morning, Nathan awoke and immediately went to their bedroom. The door was open, and he noticed Haley wasn't in there. "Not again." He said aloud and headed downstairs. He heard banging coming from the kitchen and was relieved when he saw Haley cleaning up. "Hey." He greeted only to be met with silence. "Oh, so I'm getting the silent treatment now?" He taunted. He moved closer until he was standing right behind her. He leaned forward until he was hovering right beside her ear. "I know you can't resist me for too long, Hales." He whispered huskily while leaning down placing a soft kiss on her cheek.

"Get off of me!" She yelled pushing him away from her.

"Seriously, Haley, what is wrong with you?" He asked.

"You! You're what's wrong with me!" She yelled.

"What did I do?" He asked exasperated.

"You really don't know, do you?" She asked.

"Know what?" He asked.

"Forget it." She relented grabbing her purse off the counter heading to the door. "Oh by the way, I'm just going over to Clothes Over Bros to see Brooke. I know you need to know all the details of my day now." She finished before walking out of his sight. He cringed at the sound of the front door slamming.

* * *

"Hi, Mr. Scott. How are you doing today?" Stephanie greeted.

"Do I have any meetings or anything scheduled today?" He asked.

"Umm, no. Your day is all clear." She answered. He nodded before heading towards his office. "Mr. Scott, is everything okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just been a long couple of days. Would you do me a favor and hold all of my calls today-unless any of them are from my wife. I need to catch up on some paperwork and stuff. I'm gonna cut out of here early. If you have any thing you need to get done today, feel free to leave whenever you'd like." He said.

"Thank you, Mr. Scott." She said.

"You're welcome. Just let me know when you're taking off." He said before walking into his office.

"Hello, my sexy wife." Lucas greeted Brooke with a kiss.

"Well, hello, my sexy husband." She returned kissing him back. "What brings you here?" She asked.

"No reason other than spending time with you." He answered.

"Aww, that's sweet. Now, what's the real reason?" She said.

"Fine, you caught me. I was just coming by to tell you that we're having dinner with my parents tonight." He said.

"Seriously? Okay, you know I love your parents..." She began.

"But..." He prodded.

"I kind of had other plans for us tonight. You see, I found this sexy, little red negligee." She said seductively while opening a couple of buttons on her shirt revealing the item. "I know how much you love red." She whispered into his ear. "I guess we'll just have to get an early start then." He said as he smirked at her. He quickly captured her in a passionate kiss which she happily responded. He picked her up and set her down on the desk behind him as their kiss heated up. He quickly finished unbottoning her shirt.

"Oh, God, I'm so sorry!" Haley exclaimed as Lucas and Brooke scrambled to face her. "I'm sorry. Do you want your key back to the store?" Haley asked joking.

"What brings you here, Hales?" Brooke asked buttoning up her shirt.

"No reason, actually. I'm just gonna go." She said turning around.

"It's okay, Haley. I need to go and get some stuff done anyway. I'll see you later." Lucas said kissing Brooke on the lips quickly. He gave Haley a hug before leaving. "I'm so sorry." Haley laughed turning back towards Brooke.

"Oh, don't worry about it. You're never truly my friend until you've walked in on me having sex." Brooke said.

"Oh you are something, Brooke Scott." Haley stated.

"True. What brings you by today, Haley James Scott?" Brooke asked as they both took a seat.

"Nathan and I are kind of fighting right now, and I needed to get out of the house." Haley answered.

"Ooh, I'm sorry. What are you fighting about?" Brooke asked.

"Nothing. I'm just being very emotional." Haley said dismissing the real reason. She didn't really feel like rehashing anything. And she knew if she told Brooke the truth, she would march over to the company and give Nathan a piece of her mind. She didn't want to deal with that right now. "I'm kind of hungry. Do you want to go get some lunch?" She asked changing the subject. Brooke nodded and the two girls grabbed thier things and left.

"Mr. Scott, I'm going to head home now if that's still okay." Stephanie said walking into his office.

"Sure, that's fine. Were there any phone calls today?" He asked hopeful.

"Not from Haley." She answered sympathetically. She knew there was something going on with Nathan and Haley. He literally asked her every half hour if Haley had called. She sensed the two were fighting and desperately wanted to call his wife herself to get to the bottom of everything. She had to force herself not to get involved-it wasn't her place. "There were a couple calls from some investors and a girl named, Rachel, called quite a few times." She continued.

"Oh, did she leave a message or anything?" He asked wondering why she called.

"Nope, just to give her a call. Here's her phone number." She answered handing him the piece of paper.

"Okay, thanks, Stephanie. Have a good day." He said as she nodded and left. He sighed before picking up his cell phone to check if he missed any calls by chance. Nothing. He threw his phone down on his desk frustrated. He looked up when he heard a knock on his door and saw Lucas standing there. "Hey, Luke, what are you doing here?"

"I was just coming by to see how you're doing." Lucas answered coming further into the office.

"I'm fantastic." Nathan deadpanned.

"Okay, what's going on with you?" Lucas asked.

"Nothing. Haley and I got into a fight last night and this morning. Sorry, I've just been thinking about it all day." Nathan answered.

"So, that's probably why she showed up at the store today. She probably needed to vent about you to Brooke. By the way, thank you for that. I could have engaged in some really hot sex if it hadn't been for you." Lucas said.

"Sorry, I'd feel bad but I can't seem to muster up the sympathy to do so." Nathan retorted sarcastically.

"What are you guys fighting about this time?" Lucas asked.

"That's the thing-I don't know. She's just been acting crazy the passed couple of days." Nathan stated.

"Well, she's pregnant. She's entitled to act a little crazy." Lucas interjected.

"No, this is different. It's like I did something, but I don't know what I did. She was in a horrible mood when I got home from work last night. She made me sleep in the guest bedroom." He stated. Lucas rolled his eyes at that. He still didn't agree with what the two of them were doing. And with Nathan being his cousin and Haley being his best friend, he didn't exactly want to hear about their sex life. "This morning, she was still pissed off. And when I touched her, she freaked out on me. I don't know what her problem is." Nathan finished.

"I don't know what to tell you, man. I've never dealt with a pregnant woman before. I don't know how to handle it. I would just suggest to try and talk to her again tonight. It could be something, it could be nothing." Lucas said.

"I'll try talking to her." Nathan said.

"Well, I better get going. My parents are coming over tonight for dinner." Lucas said heading towards the door. He stopped and turned back around. "By the way, congratulations." He said as Nathan looked at him confused. "On the baby." Lucas continued.

"Thanks, Lucas, but you did already tell me that months ago when we told you Haley was pregnant." Nathan said.

"No, I mean congratulations on the baby being a girl." Lucas clearified.

"What?" Nathan asked shocked.

"Oh, Haley told me you guys found out the baby was a girl on Sunday. Shoot, was she not supposed to tell me yet? Were you guys trying to keep it a secret for a little longer? If that's the case, don't tell her I talked to you about it. I don't want her mad at me, too." Lucas joked. He looked at Nathan who looked as if he had just received shocking news or something. "Nathan." He said trying to get his attention.

"Yeah?" He said quietly finally looking at him.

"You okay?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah, umm...yeah, I'm fine. Have a nice time tonight with your parents." He stammered out as Lucas nodded and left his office. Nathan stared at the closed door still in shock. "The baby's a girl. Oh my gosh, I wanted a girl. Wait, Haley found out on Sunday. That would mean...oh shit!"

* * *

Nathan walked into their house. It was quiet and dark. He knew Haley was home, though because her car was in the driveway. He set his stuff down in the kitchen before going in search of her. He walked up the stairs and noticed their bedroom door open. He stopped in the doorway and noticed her sitting on the bed writing something. He smiled. She was in some pajama shorts and a tank top with a zipped hoodie. Her hair was thrown up in a messy bun, and she had her glasses on. He couldn't help but think how adorable she looked. He softly knocked on the door. "Hey." He greeted quietly.

"Hey." She said without looking up. He sighed knowing this was going to be harder than he thought. He catiously walked further into the room. "What are you doing?" He asked.

"I'm making an itinery of my day. Don't worry, I wrote down every single detail of what I did-including every time I threw up." She answered showing no emotion handing him the paper. Nathan couldn't help but chuckle at her. He placed the paper on the nightstand. "Haley, could you come with me? I want to show you something." He said holding out his hand.

"Why?" She asked annoyed.

"Please, Haley. Please just trust me and come with me." He pleaded. Haley hesitated but saw the sincerity in his eyes and heard the sincerity in his voice. She placed her hand in his hand as he helped her off of the bed and led her out of the room and down the stairs into the kitchen. Once they reached the counter, she noticed pictures and samples of nursery designs. "What is this?" She asked softly.

"Well, I know that you are that typical girl who loves pink. I don't mind the pink, but I was thinking of something to make it look a little more modern and contemporary. I was thinking we could do this polka dot type pattern of brown and pink. I was looking through some magazine pages trying to find some different themes and ideas. This seems like a pretty popular idea. I thought you might like it. I do. I think it would be perfect for our little girl." He said.

"How did you find out?" She said still looking at the pictures.

"Lucas mentioned it. Haley, I am so sorry. I don't even know how I could forget about our appointment. You have no idea how much I wish I could take that whole day back and do it over. I know you probably don't believe me, but I was looking forward to that appointment so much. It kills me to know that I missed that moment. And it kills me even more knowing what I did to you and put you through. I am so sorry, Haley." He said. He noticed the tears falling from her eyes. A silence fell over them as he waited for her to say something-anything. "Haley, please. I'm so sorry." He said pulling her into his arms as he hugged her tightly. She started crying even harder. He moved his hand up to her cheek and brushed the tears away as he moved to look at her. She finally looked up to him. He moved forward until his forehead was resting against hers. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm so sorry."

"Please don't do that to me again. I can't do this alone." She cried.

"You won't. You're not alone. I promise, Haley. I am here, okay." He reassured as she slowly nodded her head. She stretched her arms up around his neck as she held onto him tightly. He nuzzled his face in the crook of her neck with his arms wrapped around her waist. After a few seconds he began laying light kisses along her neck. He felt her run her fingers through his hair. His kisses instantly became more forceful and demanding. She grabbed his face and brought him into a passionate kiss. She let everything she was feeling into this kiss. She used her tongue to part his lips and snaked it in immediately seeking his. He picked her up and set her down on the counter. She moaned into his mouth when she felt his hands on her bare back sliding up under her hoodie and tank top. They heard Nathan's phone ringing, and Haley began to pull away. "Ignore it." He said pulling her back to him.

"It could be important." She mumbled against his lips.

"Nothing's more important than this-you and me. And our baby." He stated placing his hand on her stomach. She smiled before pulling him into a soft, sensual kiss.

**Okay, there you go. This chapter a little shorter than usual, but the next one is going to be pretty long. And I thought you might forgive me for having no Rachel in this one. I don't think I'll have a chapter for you guys Monday at all. I'm pretty busy with work all day tomorrow. But the next chapter will definitely be up sometime on Tuesday. And like I said, it will be pretty long and hopefully worth the wait. So, until then!**


	10. Chapter 10

Nathan stepped out of the shower wrapping a towel around his waist. He headed into the bedroom and smiled at the sight of his wife curled up under their blankets. Even though, they technically made up the night before, he still felt horrible and wanted to do something for her. He didn't know what he was going to do yet, but he was going to find the perfect way to make it up to her. He leaned forward on the bed and kissed her lightly on the forehead causing her to stirr awake slightly.  
"Hey." She stammered out groggily.

"Hey, I didn't mean to wake you. I'm going to be leaving soon. Go ahead and go back to sleep." He said quietly. He kissed her lightly on the lips as she closed her eyes again falling asleep. He smiled one more time at the sight before standing off the bed to finish dressing. Once he was dressed, he headed downstairs to get his stuff together. He picked up his cell phone and noticed he had a new voicemail. He figured it was probably from whoever called while he and Haley were "making up". He dialed his access code and listened as he heard Rachel's voice.

_"Hey, Nathan, it's Rachel. I was trying to get in touch with you all day. I'm in town for a few more days and wanted to maybe get together once again. I was thinking maybe I could come by your office tomorrow, and we could grab some lunch. Give me a call. Bye."_

He deleted the message and hit the end button. He gathered his stuff together before leaving the house.

Haley awoke a couple hours later. Her stomach was upsetting her, so she headed to the kitchen for anything that might help her feel better. She opened the fridge and noticed a note from Nathan hanging on the door.

_Hey, my beautiful wife,_  
_I hope you got plenty of rest after last night. If you're feeling up to it, maybe you could come by the office today for lunch. My meeting finishes around eleven, and I am free anytime after that._  
_-Your sexy husband_

Haley smiled as she read his note. She looked at the clock on the stove and saw it read nine o'clock. She quickly made a piece of toast before running back upstairs to take a shower.

"Hi, I'm here to see Nathan Scott." A girl stated causing Stephanie to look up from her desk.

"Okay, do you have an appointment?" She asked.

"Not really, but if you just tell him I'm here, I know he'll want to see me." The girl said sending her a fake smile. Stephanie looked at the girl skeptically. There was something about her she didn't trust. "Well, I'm sorry, but Mr. Scott is in a meeting right now. I guess you'll just have to make an appointment to see him next time. But if you want to leave me your name, I will be sure to pass it along to him once his meeting is complete." She said with her own fake smile.

"Well, how long until he's done with his meeting? I really don't mind waiting." The girl said.

"I'm not sure." Stephanie replied.

"Aren't you his assistant? Isn't it your job to know these kinds of things?" The girl said rudely. Before Stephanie could say anything in response, Nathan stepped out of the elevator. "Rachel?" He said noticing the red-head. Rachel sent a smug smile towards Stephanie before turning her attention to Nathan. "Hi, Nathan."

"Hi, Rachel. What are you doing here?" He asked.

"Didn't you get my message about coming for lunch? I thought we could catch up some more before I leave in a couple of days." She answered.

"I did get your message, but didn't you get my message? I sent you a text message saying that I couldn't do it today. I have other plans for lunch." He stated.

"Oh, I must not have received that. My darn phone has a mind of its own." She said. Stephanie rolled her eyes in the background. "That was a blatant lie. And ten bucks says Nathan falls for it." She mumbles to herself.

"Well, I'm sorry you came all the way down here for nothing." He says. Stephanie lets out a little chuckle. She looks up and notices the two of them staring at her. "Oh, I'm sorry, I was just reading something funny. Don't mind me-carry on." She says and noticed Rachel rolling her eyes.

"Sorry, Rachel, but Haley's meeting me for lunch. She should be here soon." Nathan said.

"Nathan, you see Haley everyday. We haven't seen each other in a few years. Couldn't you just find the time before I go back to New York?" She asked.

"Why don't you come over to our house tonight for dinner. We can catch up then, and you could get to know Haley." He suggested.

"Sure." She agreed.

"Great. I'll see you then. Bye, Rachel." He said turning away and walking into his office. Rachel's eyes stayed glued on him until he was out of sight with a smirk. Stephanie couldn't help but roll her eyes yet again. _'Why are men so dumb?'_ She thought to herself. "I know what you're up to." She said causing Rachel to turn and look at her. "What are you talking about?" Rachel asked lamely.

"With Nathan. I know what you're up to. You're wasting your time-he's married. Meaning, he's off the market." Stephanie said.

"That's funny. Last time I talked to him, he claimed this marriage was fake. He said they only got married to gain ownership of the company. There was no love involved. So, in my opinion, he's still on the market." Rachel said.

"I don't know whether that's true or not, but let's say you're correct about the marriage being fake. That may have been true in the beginning but not anymore. Nathan loves Haley. And just to let you know, I've walked in on them many times having sex. Their marriage is anything but fake." Stephanie replied.

"Really? Well, Nathan was in love with me long before Haley came along. And guess what, we didn't just have sex all of the time. We made love, and it was amazing. I can definitely say we weren't faking anything." Rachel said smugly.

"You do know that Haley's pregnant right? What you're doing is wrong. Not only are you messing with a marriage, but you're messing with a family. Are you really so insecure that you'd go after a man who has a baby on the way? That's kind of pathetic." Stephanie replied.

"Oh, honey, I'm anything but insecure. Have you looked at me? I'm gorgeous, and I'm a model. Every guy wants and fantasizes about me. Nathan shouldn't be too difficult considering we already have a past with one another. I broke his heart, not the other way around. You and that wife of his may be insecure, but I can assure you that I'm not. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go get ready for dinner with Nathan." Rachel said turning to walk away.

"Dinner with Nathan and Haley. This isn't some date." Stephanie called out and smirked when Rachel stopped for a moment before continuing on.

Haley arrived five minutes later. "Hey, Stephanie. Is Nathan in his office?" She asked.

"Yes, he is-waiting on you actually." Stephanie smiled warmly. Haley returned the smile and headed into the office. She walked in and saw a small little picnic set up on the floor. "Well, what do we have here?" She asked.

"I figured we could stay here. I ordered in from that Italian restaurant you love so much. That way, we're here all alone with no one around to distract us." Nathan answered walking to stand in front of her. She threw her arms around him kissing him chastely. "This is very sweet, Nathan. Thank you." She said.

"You're welcome. So, are you feeling up to eating right now? Or can you not handle it?" He asked leading her to the spot on the floor.

"I don't know, actually. I guess we'll find out in a moment. It smells really good, so that's a positive thing." She said as they sat down comfortably. "So, how was your meeting?" She asked once they started eating.

"Uneventful and boring." He said. "What about you? Have you been sick today at all?" He asked.

"Surprisingly, no. I think I might finally be getting over the sickness which is such a relief." She answered.

"Good, because I hate seeing you feeling so horrible. I wish I could go through it for you." He stated.

"Me, too." She agreed as they both laughed. They continued talking while finishing eating. They cleaned up the mess before settling on the couch in his office. "So, I was thinking you should go ahead and come home with me now. We can cuddle up in the living room and watch some movies. And then, we can go upstairs to our bedroom and have lots and lots of sex." Haley said while laying kisses along his neck.

"Oh, is my girl feeling frisky?" Nathan asked.

"Crazy frisky." She whispered into his ear.

"That sounds like a plan, but we do have to adjust those plans just a little bit." He said.

"Oh yeah, how?" She asked still kissing his neck.

"Well, Rachel's coming over for dinner." He revealed and instantly felt her pull away. He opened his eyes and found her staring at him. "What?" He asked.

"Rachel's coming over for dinner tonight-at our house." She said incredulously.

"Yeah." He said.

"When did you talk to her?" She asked.

"She came by the office today. She wanted to have lunch, but I told her I had other plans. So, I asked her to come over for dinner instead. Is that a problem?" He asked noticing her less than thrilled facial expressions.

"So, you want me to have dinner with the woman you ditched me for who just so happens to be your ex-girlfriend." She said.

"Umm, yeah." He said cautiously. He watched as she immediately stood up from the couch gathering her stuff. He was quick to follow her off the couch. "Haley, does this bother you? I honestly didn't think it was a big deal." He said.

"It's not." She said searching for her keys.

"I can call Rachel and tell her not to come if it upsets you this much." He said.

"No, it's fine." She said unconvincingly.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Yup. I'm just gonna get going." She stated.

"If you wait a few minutes, I'll come with you." He said.

"No, don't worry about it. I'll just see you tonight." She said quickly kissing him on the cheek before rushing out of the office. Nathan watched her run away and sighed.

* * *

Haley sat in the recliner in the family room listening to Nathan and Rachel reminisce about their past together. All through dinner, she was forced to listen as Rachel told story after story about their relationship. It was enough to make her want to puke-at least she had an excuse to do so. In all honesty, she might as well not even be present. Nathan and Rachel were so focused on each other, they failed to basically acknowlege her existance. She sat there as the two had an open bottle of wine, and she wanted nothing more than to yank the glasses out of their hands and chug them herself. She watched as Rachel said something causing Nathan to laugh. And, then, she watched as Rachel placed her hand over Nathan's hand in an intimate fashion. Yup, that alcohol could come in really handy right now. What is it about this girl that makes Nathan forget about anything and everything else in the world? She decided she didn't have the energy to sit here and witness the scene any longer. She stood up and headed towards the door. "Where are you going?" Nathan's voice sounded haulting her movements. "I'm going to bed. I'm not feeling very well." She responded and heard his footsteps approaching her.

"Are you okay?" He asked standing in front of her.

"I'm fine. I'm just tired. Go ahead and go back to Rachel." She said stepping around him and walking up to their bedroom. She dug through some drawers finding some pajamas and headed into the bathroom for a shower. She took about a fifteen minute shower before stepping out and getting dressed. She brushed her teeth and then climbed into the bed. She sighed realizing Nathan probably wouldn't be coming up anytime soon. She placed her hands on her stomach and softly rubbed it. "I'm sorry, sweetie. Mommy's just a big dummy for ever believing daddy would love her back the same way she loves him. But don't worry, we will both be here for you-all the time no matter what. You were the one right thing to come out of this marriage. We both love you so much." She stated as soft tears rolled down her cheeks.

Haley awoke to an empty bed. She climbed out of the bed and headed downstairs. She noticed Nathan in the kitchen making some coffee. "Hey." She greeted quietly.

"Hey. You're up early." He stated.

"So are you? What time are you going into work today?" She asked.

"Actually, I'm not going in today." He stated.

"Really?" She asked excited.

"Yeah, I'm going to a Bobcats game in Charolette with Rachel." He revealed. Haley felt as if someone stabbed her heart. Ever since the night before, she realized this marriage meant nothing more than gaining ownership of the company for Nathan. She was realizing she had to push her feelings for him away before she got her heart completely broken. "Sounds like fun." She said.

"Yeah, I love the Bobcats. They're my favorite basketball team. Rachel and I used to always go to the games. Awhile after you went to bed last night, she showed me the two tickets she had. I'm excited. I haven't been to a basketball game in so long." He explained.

"I'm sure you'll have a great time with Rachel." She said.

"What about you? What are your plans for the day?" He asked.

"Oh you know, sit around here-doing nothing but throwing up over and over again. My days are action packed full of excitement." She deadpanned.

"That sounds nice. I have to go get ready. I have to pick Rachel up in a couple of hours." He said rushing out of the room leaving Haley all alone again. Feeling exhausted, she headed back upstairs. She heard the shower running and climbed back into the bed falling asleep quickly.

* * *

"Tell me again why I'm stuck doing this." Lucas stated putting the crib together. Haley stopped painting and looked over to where he was sitting on the floor. She chuckled when she noticed screws and bolts all over the place. "Because, you are my best friend, Lucas Eugene Scott. I needed your help. And because you love me so much, you did the right thing and agreed to helping me." She answered.

"And why isn't Nathan doing this? It is his baby." He said.

"Because Nathan is out with Rachel." She said going back to painting.

"Again? I thought Rachel was going back to New York last week." He said.

"She was. But she decided to stay a few more months." She answered.

"Months? I wonder what's keeping her in Tree Hill." He stated.

"My husband." She mumbled inaudibly. Ever since Nathan and Rachel went to that Bobcats game the previous week, they have basically been inseperable. Nathan wasn't neglecting her or anything. He still attended her scheduled doctor's appointment with her and went shopping for the nursery and stuff. But that's all it was-it was completly about the baby and the baby only. She knew he only cared about the baby-not her. She was feeling so stupid for letting her feelings get the best of her. She should have known that Nathan would never love her. He's never been attracted to her or interested in her in any way other than family/sort of friends. Why would he be? Why would he want a girl like her when he had a girl like Rachel. She was gorgeous. She was a model. And she was his first love. A guy like Nathan doesn't fall in love easily. He's probably never gotten over her and probably never will.

"So, have the two of you picked out any names yet? You're due in about three months." Lucas asked.

"Yeah, we've talked about it a little. I have my heart set on a name. I just haven't asked Nathan if he likes it or not." She answered.

"Well, personally, I think the mother should make the final decision. Let's face it, she's the one doing all of the hard work. It should be her choice." He said sweetly.

"Brooke sure is one lucky girl, Lucas Scott. You are such an amazing guy. There should be more guys out there in this world like you." She stated as tears fell from her eyes.

"Are you okay, Hales? What's wrong? Is something wrong with the baby?" He asked concerned.

"No, I'm fine. The baby's fine. I'm sorry, I'm just really emotional right now." She said.

"Nathan said you've been feeling better. He said you haven't been throwing up lately." He said changing the subject.

"I lied." She stated as he looked at her confused. "I lied about not being sick. I'm still feeling sick-all the time. I hate it, and I'm so miserable right now. Everything I eat, I throw up. I feel so exhausted all day. Some days, I just don't want to get out of bed. Nathan doesn't know. He's been so busy with work and...and with other things. I hide it very well from him." She admitted.

"I'm sorry, Hales. You should talk to Nathan about how you're feeling." He said.

"Why? It's not like he can do anything about it. He can't make it go away." She said.

"No, but he can be here for you. He can take care of you while you're sick." He said.

"He's gotta take care of the company. I can't do it right now. It's up to him." She said.

"You're more important than the company. You and the baby will always be more than the company. He's the father. And he's your husband. He should be there. I think you should tell him what's been going on." He suggested as she nodded. They spent the next couple of hours finishing the nursary. She wasn't due for a few more months, but she wanted everything to be done and ready for when the baby arrives. She didn't want the stress of last minute things. She smiled as she looked around the completed room. She felt the tears forming in her eyes. She was so excited. She always wanted to have kids but never expected it to be this soon. When she first found out she was pregnant, she felt scared and nervous. Now, she felt nothing but happiness and excitement. She was still a little nervous about being a mother, but she was ready.

* * *

Haley was laying in bed feeling extremely nautious. It's been about a month since she and Lucas finished the nursery. Rachel was still in town. And Nathan was still spending a lot of his free time with her. She couldn't help but feel that he was cheating on her with Rachel. She didn't have any proof or anything. And he was home every night. But sometimes, she would go to the office and see them together. She obviously never caught them doing anything. There was just something about the way she witnessed them together that made her suspect it. A few days after completing the nursery, she moved all of Nathan's stuff back to the guest bedroom. She realized that having sex with him and simply sleeping next to him at night wasn't helping her get over him. She needed to get over him. She was tired of feeling the way she's been feeling. He questioned her and tried to fight her at first, but she was adament. He reluctantly moved back to the guest bedroom, and they haven't had sex or even kissed since that night. That was another reason she thought he was cheating on her. He's a guy, and he isn't getting it at home. He's going to go to the next resort. And Rachel was definitely very willing. She made that very clear. Haley wasn't stupid. She knew what Rachel was after, but she wasn't going to fight her. She wasn't willing to fight for Nathan. Not when he wasn't willing to fight for her.

"Haley, what are you still doing in bed? We have that charity event at seven o'clock. It's five-thirty." Nathan said coming into the bedroom.

"I'm not going. I'm not feeling very well." She answered.

"You're never feeling well. What's so different about today?" He asked.

"Nathan, I don't think I can handle it. I feel as if I'm going to pass out if I stand for too long." She explained.

"Then sit down the whole time. We have to go." He stated.

"Go without me. I'm sure everyone will survive if I'm not there." She retorted.

"You're coming, Haley. This is your company as much as it is mine. We both have to go. This is very important. There are going to be a bunch of new potential clients and advertisors. You haven't exactly been an active part of the company the passed few months. The least you could do is attend this charity event. Show people you still care." He said.

"Well, excuse me for being pregnant and feeling sick all the time. Don't you dare get smug with me-not when you're the one who knocked me up." She said angrily.

"Highlight of my life." He said sarcastically as she glared at him. "Now, I don't care what you have to do, but you better be ready in an hour. You're going to that charity event." He declared walking out of the room. Haley reluctantly got out of the bed and headed for the bathroom. Once she was in the shower, she sunk to the floor and cried.

The charity event was going off without a hitch. People were drinking, eating, and dancing. Everyone was having a wonderful time-everyone but Haley. She kept to herself the whole night. She already had to excuse herself five times to go to the bathroom to throw up. She was miserable. She was exhausted and feeling hot and sweating. She had effectively been ignoring Nathan since their arguement in the bedroom. Once they arrived at the event, they went their separate ways. She hadn't seen him all night except from afar.

Nathan looked around for Haley. He knew she was pissed at him, but he was starting to worry about her. She has been avoiding him all night. The last time he saw her, he did notice that she looked a little pale. He tried approaching her, but once she saw him she took off in the opposite direction. He was currently talking with a couple other company presidents when he spotted her once again. He saw her standing talking with some other woman. He could tell that she was insanely bored. He turned his attention back to the two guys. They talked for a couple more minutes before they heard a glass crashing and a string of gasps. He looked over to the commotion and felt as if his whole world stopped. He saw Haley lying on the floor passed out with her shattered glass next to her. He immediately ran over to where she was laying and knelt down beside her swooping her into his arms. "Haley! Haley, wake up!" He cried in a panic. The people surrounding him became a blur. He briefly heard someone shouting to call an ambulance, but he was in his own little world. "Haley, you've gotta wake up. Come on, baby, wake up!" He said resting his forehead against hers.

**There you go. Sorry, I didn't put this up sooner. We're having really horrible weather where I live, and I got stuck at work. And then when I finally got home, two of my neighbors got stuck behind my driveway, and I was helping them get out. Anyway, I'm hoping I get called off at work tomorrow and can try to get another chapter up for you guys. So, thanks again for your reviews. Again, you guys rock! So, read and let me know what you think. If any of you are having really bad weather as well, stay safe and be careful out there. Until next time.**


	11. Chapter 11

Nathan watched Haley intently. They arrived at Tree Hill Memorial an hour ago. Haley still failed to wake up on the way to the hospital. And then, he had to watch as the doctors took her away forcing him to stay in the waiting room. And now, he sat here waiting for her to wake up. Dr. Bryan told Nathan that she was fine, and he would talk to the two of them together once she wakes up. Nathan watched her sleep. He was replaying everything that happened ealier in the evening. He was replaying the conversation they had in the bedroom before they left for the charity event. He was replaying the way she looked-she was pale and looked horrible. He shouldn't have forced her into going to that charity event. He should have made her stay in bed. And he should have stayed with her right by her side. He should have listened to what she was saying. She told him how sick she was feeling, but he didn't listen to her. He was being stubborn and mean. The truth was that he was upset before even arriving home. He had an upsetting conversation with Rachel before he went home that day, and it was stuck in his mind. He saw Haley when he returned home, and instantly his thoughts flashed back to what Rachel had said about Haley a couple hours prior. He let his emotions get the best of him, and in turn, he put the lives of both Haley and their baby at risk. He was so angry with himself right now. His thoughts were broken by a voice in the hall. He walked out and saw Brooke and Lucas at the counter. He couldn't help but chuckle at hearing Brooke.

"Listen, I know you are very busy right now, but I would just like to know where my friend is. She was rushed here over an hour ago, and I want to see her. So, if you could please do your job and help me. I would really appreciate it." Brooke said to the receptionist.

"Hey, Brooke." Nathan jumped in saving the receptionist from further dealing with the oh-so pleasant Brooke Davis.

"Nathan! Oh my gosh, how is Haley doing?" Brooke said hugging him. Nathan pulled away and greeted Lucas with a quick hug as well.

"She's okay. She's sleeping right now. The doctor told me he would talk to us when she woke up. She's in room 329..." He began but stopped talking as Brooke quickly rushed towards the room. He and Lucas followed shortly after. They arrived in the room and saw Brooke standing beside the bed holding onto Haley's hand. "What was she doing out of bed? I talked to her earlier that day, and she told me how sick she was feeling. She had no business being out of bed, especially at some charity event that is not as important as her life or the baby's life." She asked sternly.

"That was my fault. She told me she wasn't feeling well, but I didn't listen to her. I made her go to that charity event." Nathan admitted.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Nathan? Do you care for Haley or your child at all? Maybe if you weren't running around with your little girlfriend all the damn time, you would have noticed how sick Haley's been! You remember Haley, right-your wife! The mother of your child! God, you are such an..."

"Okay, Brooke. That's enough." Lucas intervened gently. He could see the guilt written across his cousin's face. He wasn't sticking up for him in any way considering he did agree with his wife, but this wasn't the time or the place for this. They were all stressed and worried and didn't need to be yelling at each other right now. Brooke calmed down before pulling up a chair next to Haley still holding her hand. Nathan sent Lucas a look of appreciation before pulling a chair on the opposite side of Haley. Lucas pulled another chair beside Brooke taking a seat. A silence fell into the room. Nathan noticed the death glares Brooke kept sending his way which made him feel even worse than he already did. He did everything he could think of to avoid looking into her hate-filled eyes. He looked around the room and realized just how much he hated hospitals. It seemed as if the passed couple of years, he's lived in them. He was here for his dad. He was here for Haley's mom and dad. And he was here for his mom. Now, he was here for Haley. Thinking about their parents' made him feel even more guilty. He promised his parents and Haley's parents that he would protect her and look out for her. He couldn't even do that. He knew how disappointed they would be in him.

How did they get to this point? Twenty-two months ago, they were happy. They were both fresh out of college and ready to start their careers. Their parents were alive and well. They were engaging in their usual back and forth banter with one another. They weren't married. Haley wasn't pregnant. They were happy. Now, look at them. They were fighting. They barely ever talked with one another. Haley was lying in a hospital bed. Both her and their unborn child's lives were at risk. Here he was sitting here waiting for her to wake up. Here he was wondering how they both got to this point.

* * *

Nathan was currently sitting in the chair previously occupied by Brooke. She and Lucas left the hospital to go pick up some food for the three of them. Haley was still sleeping. He was staring down at their hands. Her left hand was safely tucked in between his two hands. He looked up and noticed how peaceful she looked. He also couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked. She was lying in a hospital bed, but she still looked beautiful. Of course, he thought she looked beautiful no matter what she was wearing, how much make-up she had on, or how her hair was done. She was beautiful every second of every day. He noticed her eye lids fluttering open and breathed a sigh of relief. He watched as she opened her eyes fully looking around confused by her surroundings. "Hey." He greeted softly leaning forward and kissing her gently on her forehead. "Hey. What's going on? Where am I?" She asked groggily.

"You passed out last night at the charity event. You're at the hospital." He began.

"What? Oh my gosh, the baby..." She began to panic.

"Shh, it's okay. The baby is fine." He said calming her down. She nodded before relaxing back in the bed. "Dr. Bryan said he wanted to talk to the both of us once you woke up." He continued.

"Is everything okay?" She asked.

"I don't know. He did tell me you were fine, but he still needed to speak with us." He answered.

"Okay." She stated. A silence fell over them. He noticed how she was looking everywhere but at him. "Haley, I'm sorry." He stated quietly causing her to look at him.

"For what" She asked.

"You shouldn't have went anywhere last night. You were too sick to get out of bed. I'm so sorry for forcing you to go to that charity event." He apologized.

"It's okay." She said quietly.

"No, it's not, Haley. It's not okay. I'm not okay. I don't know what I would have done if anything more severe would have happened to you or the baby. I would never be able to forgive myself if either of you were seriously hurt because of how stupid I was being. I'm sorry." He explained. She didn't say anything-just nodded and looked down to her hands. He knew she was upset with him. But just like Haley, she kept her mouth shut to avoid any confrontation. And to not make him feel even guiltier than he already does. She was like that-she was incredibly unselfish and caring. She was just in general a good person with a heart of gold. She's been like that her entire life. He's always given her a hard time about it. Mainly because he was the complete opposite.

"Well, good morning. It's nice to see you awake, Haley." Dr. Bryan greeted entering the room.

"Hi, Dr. Bryan. It's good to be awake, I guess-depending on what news you have to share with us." Haley said causing the doctor to let out a small chuckle. "Hey, Nathan, how are you doing?" Dr. Bryan asked.

"Fine." Nathan answered unconvincingly.

"All right, let's talk now. Haley, you're fine. And your baby's fine. I just want to tell you both that right away." Dr. Bryan began as Nathan and Haley both nodded and let out a sigh of relief. "Now having said that, you're not completely out of the woods. Haley, the reason you fainted was because your blood pressure was really high. It's still no where near where I would like for it to be without worry. It's what we call Gestational Hypertension. Although many pregnant women with high blood pressure have healthy babies without serious problems, high blood pressure can be dangerous for both the mother and the baby. Gestational Hypertension can lead to Preeclampsia-a serious condition characterized by high blood pressure and protein in the urine after twenty weeks of pregnancy. Left untreated, preeclampsia can lead to serious-even fatal-complications for mother and baby. Before you get alarmed, I don't believe you are close to that point. But we are going to do whatever it takes to help keep it that way, okay." He said as both Nathan and Haley nodded. "Okay, so what I'm going to do is put you on strict bedrest. You're about six weeks away from your due date, and I don't want you going anywhere. You are to stay put in your house, you understand?" He continued.

"Yeah." She answered.

"Good. Now, you can get up and go to the bathroom and take a shower-actually I recommend you take baths instead. That way you aren't standing for a long period of time. And a nice, hot bath can be very relaxing for your body. No strenuous movements of any kind. Drink plenty of liquids. Also, I'm going to give you a list of foods I recommend you stick with. Try to avoid anything that's going to cause you stress, okay?" He stated. She softly nodded at him with tears in her eyes. "Look, I know how scary this all seems right now, but you're going to be fine. Just follow my advice and you and your baby will be okay. Now, I'm going to go ahead and do an ultra sound just to double check on things. Go ahead and lay back and get situated." He told her. Nathan stood up from the chair and went to stand on the other side of Haley. She lifted up her hospital gown as Dr. Bryan squirted some gel on her stomach and turned on the computer. Their baby appeared on the screen as Dr. Bryan pointed out various things to the two of them. "Okay, now I think I have something that will make you both feel a little bit better. I know you've heard it before, but you can never hear this sound too much." Dr. Bryan stated. A second later, the baby's heart beat sounded within the room. "You hear that-strong and healthy. Just like her mom." He said. Nathan reached out and closed his hands around her right hand. "I'll leave you two alone for a little bit." Dr. Bryan stated before walking out of the room. Nathan sat down next to Haley on the edge of the bed wrapping his left arm around her shoulders. "That's our little girl. You heard the doctor, she's strong and healthy just like you." He said quietly as she turned to look at him. He rested his forehead against her forehead while bringing his right hand up gently caressing her cheek. He pulled back slightly as the two opened their eyes and stared into one anothers. He leaned in and was just about to capture her lips in a sensual kiss when the door burst open. "Oh, Haley, thank God you're awake!" Brooke exclaimed walking straight over to the bed. Nathan gently slid off of the bed announcing he was going to go to the restroom real quick. "Do you want me to bring you something to drink, Haley?" He asked.

"Umm, yeah. Anything but water would be great. I need something with a little flavor to it. Thank you, Nathan." She said as he nodded.

"I'll come with you, Nate." Lucas spoke up wanting to give Brooke and Haley some alone time together. The two guys then left the room leaving the girls alone. "How you feeling, sweetie?" Brooke asked.

"I'm fine. I'm tired. The doctor said my blood pressure was really high, and I am now on strict bedrest." Haley revealed.

"Well, he's right. You need to stay in bed. You have no business going anywhere with the way you've been so sick these passed few months. We're all really worried about you and the baby. Speaking of..." Brooke began while rubbing Haley's stomach gently and bending until she was hovering over it. "Hey, sweetie-it's your favorite Aunt Brooke. You need to take it easy on your mommy, okay. She's not feeling very well, and she's exhausted. She needs your cooperation. And just so you know, we are all so excited to meet you. We love you very much." She finished before standing back up straight.

"Thank you, Brooke." Haley said.

"For what, sweetie?" Brooke asked.

"For always being here for me and for the baby. For just being you. The baby loves you already. She kicks anytime your name is mentioned or you talk to her. You're going to be one amazing Godmother." Haley stated catching Brooke off gaurd. "What?" She asked with a smile on her face.

"Nathan and I would like for you and Lucas to be her godparents." Haley said.

"Oh my gosh, yes! I would be honored. Thank you so much." Brooke exclaimed embracing her friend.

"I love you, Brooke Scott." Haley said.

"I love you, too, Haley Scott." Brooke returned.

"So, how are you doing, Nate?" Lucas asked once they reached the hospital cafeteria.

"Not so good." Nathan admitted.

"What did the doctor have to say?" Lucas asked.

"He said that Haley has really high blood pressure. He recommended her to stay on bedrest for the next six weeks. She's been told to avoid anything that will cause her stress. Right now, both she and the baby are fine. But if her blood pressure gets any higher, it could be fatal to both her and the baby." Nathan explained.

"Gosh, I'm sorry, man. I don't know how Haley's going to stay in bed for the next six weeks. She's going to go stirr-crazy."  
Lucas said.

"Yeah, I don't know how she's going to do it either, But, I'm going to make her. I'm going to do what I have to to make sure she and the baby are okay. I won't risk anything happening to her or our daughter. I'm going to do what I should have been doing all along. I'm going to protect them with everything I have. I'm going into work, and I'm going to let them know I'll be handling things from home from now on until after the baby is born." Nathan said.

"And what about Rachel?" Lucas asked.

"What about Rachel?" Nathan asked confused.

"Are you going to stop spending every second of your day with her?" Lucas asked with a slight edge.

"What? I haven't been spending all of my time with..."

"Yeah, you have, Nate. When you aren't at work, you're with her." Lucas cut him off.

"Okay, maybe that's true, but nothing's going on between us, Lucas. We're just friends." Nathan said.

"Really? Because I know how you felt about her. I know how much she hurt you when she broke things off. Look, I don't want you getting hurt again. And I'm sorry, but I don't like Rachel. I don't think she cares about anyone but herself. And I wouldn't put it passed her to turn around and hurt you all over again. Not only that, but you've got Haley and your baby to think about. I'm tired of seeing Haley hurt because you're not around helping her with this pregnancy because you're spending all of your time with your ex-girlfriend. Haley's fragile, Nathan. Her heart's fragile. Don't hurt her anymore than you already have." Lucas warned gently before walking away leaving his cousin to contemplate his words.

* * *

"Home sweet home." Nathan stated as he and Haley walked through their front door.

"It's good to be home." She commented.

"Okay, so off to bed you go." He said leading her up the stairs.

"Awesome, I can't wait." She said sarcastically causing Nathan to laugh at her. They arrived in the bedroom shortly later, and he instantly started getting the bed ready. "All right, it's all ready for you. Hop in." He said.

"Umm, I kind of would like to take a bath first. I feel really gross and dirty from being in the hospital." She stated.

"Do you need any help at all?" He asked.

"No, I'm pretty sure I can handle it. But thanks, Nathan." She answered.

"Okay, well, you take a bath. I'm going to go make you something to eat." He said as she nodded. He smiled slightly at her before leaving the bedroom and heading down the stairs. Once he arrived in the kitchen, he heard his cell phone ringing. He picked it up and sighed when he saw who it was. He contemplated picking up before ultamitely deciding to do so. "Hello." He greeted.

"Hey, Nate. It's Rachel." She greeted.

"Yeah, I know." He said.

"Well, I've been trying to call you. I called your office, and that lovely assistant of yours told me you didn't come in today and wouldn't give me any other information. For the record, I think you need to fire her. Anyway, I thought we had plans today. Why haven't you called me back?" She whined.

"Listen, Rachel, I'm sorry but I can't meet up with you today." He responded.

"Why? Nathan, is this about what I said to you yesterday? I was just trying to..."

"No, Rachel, this isn't about that. Look, something came up with Haley last night, and I need to stay here and watch her." He cut her off.

"What happened?" She asked.

"She passed out last night at that charity event, and she was rushed to the hospital." He explained.

"Is she okay?" She asked in a not caring kind of voice.

"Yeah, she's fine now. The baby's fine, too. But they are both are risk, and she's on strict bedrest. We just got home awhile ago, and she's taking a bath." He answered.

"Okay, well, when she gets in bed, how about we go ahead and meet up?" She suggested.

"I can't, Rachel. I have to stay here with her. I need to take care of her." He said.

"How about I come over there, then? We can watch movies and stuff while she's resting." She said.

"No, that's not a good idea. Look, I need to be here-just me. Haley and I need this time to ourselves right now so we can focus on making sure she and the baby are okay." He said.

"Nate, Haley's going to be fine." She stated annoyed.

"Rachel, I can't. I'm sorry, but I can't." He said sternly.

"Fine. I'll let you go take care of her. But Nathan, remember what I said yesterday. You taking care of Haley isn't going to change anything." She said before hanging up. Nathan pushed end and sighed. Rachel's words had him replaying her words to him the previous day again. He couldn't stop thinking about them. He realized that Rachel probably was right, but he still had to be there for Haley no matter what.

* * *

"Hey, how was your bath? Are you feeling more relaxed and clean?" Nathan asked walking into the bedroom. He noticed she was already changed and sitting on the bed cuddled under some blankets.

"It was very relaxing, and yes, I feel clean. I hate hospitals. You would think I would feel clean, but I just feel dirty and gross when I'm in them." She said.

"I know what you mean. Well, I hope you are hungry." He said walking over to her.

"I'm starving." She said.

"Good, because I made you your favorite-mac and cheese." He stated setting the tray across her lap.

"Oh, I love mac and cheese." She exclaimed. Nathan smiled at her enthusiasm before letting out a small chuckle. "What?" She asked.

"You. You're a little kid at heart, you know that." He stated taking a seat on the opposite side of the bed.

"Yes, I am." She said digging into the food. After a couple seconds, she noticed he wasn't eating anything. "Aren't you going to eat something?" She asked.

"No, I'm not hungry. I ate something at the hospital." He answered.

"Oh, I bet that was wonderful." She said sarcastically. He looked at her and laughed. "Well, I think our daughter takes after her mom." She stated after a second.

"Why do you say that?" He asked confused.

"She has been kicking up a storm ever since I began eating the mac and cheese." She said. He immediately placed his hand on her stomach. He looked up to her and smiled. The first time he felt the baby kick, he was amazed. He never thought he would be affected by that. But he was blown away. "I love it when she kicks." He stated quietly. "She's strong. I still can't believe I'm going to be a dad. I didn't want this now. But now that it's happened, there's nothing I want more." He continued.

"Me, too." She agreed quietly looking at him with tears in her eyes. They held each other's gazes. "You better eat that-it's going to get cold." Nathan said breaking out of their gaze. Haley nodded and went back to eating. "You want to watch a movie or something?" He asked.

"Sure, whatever you want." She responded.

"Ooh, careful with that one." He joked. He searched through their movies before they settled on one they both liked. He placed the dvd into the dvd player flicking on the tv before going back to the bed. Haley finished her food, and Nathan took it to the kitchen and quickly returned to the bedroom. They both got settled comfortably under the blankets. After an hour into the movie, Nathan turned and noticed Haley falling asleep on his shoulder. She was curled into his side. He carefully moved his arm around her shoulder as she unconciously placed her hand on his chest. He shifted them gently down into the bed more allowing her to cuddle futher into him. He placed a light kiss on her forehead before turning his attention back to the movie. His mind once again drifted to Rachel's words the previous day. He looked over to Haley and sighed. He had to forget about them. He knew they were true. Even though, he prayed they weren't. He just had to find some way of getting over them. He just didn't know if that was even possible.

**There you guys go. It was a very simple chapter without any drama, but it's basically a filler chapter. There's more drama to come, and I hate to admit this but Rachel won't be going anywhere too soon. She is going to play an important part to Nathan and Haley discovering and revealing their feelings to one another. Now, I am off tomorrow. I won't make any promises, but I should have another chapter for you guys then. Again, thanks for your reviews. Someone asked me to have a little more alone time for Lucas and Brooke, and I'm going to try to do that either the next chapter or the one after. I will warn you that I have never written for Brucas without another couple, except for that brief part in one of my previous chapters. I will try hard to make it satisfactory for you Brucas fans. I love them, but I'm just such a hardcore Naley fan that it gets hard to write for any other couples. I will see what I can do, though. So, hopefully I'll have another chapter tomorrow. Until then! **


	12. Chapter 12

The rest of that week flew by pretty quickly. True to his word, Nathan never left Haley's side. Rachel continued to try to get in touch with him throughout the week, but he ignored any and all calls from her. He couldn't deal with her and Haley at the same time. It was too much to handle. So as of right now, his focus was on Haley. He couldn't lie-it was awkward. Ever since they've stopped sleeping together and sleeping in the same bed, things haven't been the same between them. It was like they were roomates who happened to be married and having a baby together. He was thinking about what Lucas said. He honestly didn't realize how much time he's been spending with Rachel the passed few weeks. He wasn't really thinking he was hurting Haley. But what Lucas said had him thinking about it more and more. Why would Haley care anyway? It's not like she had feelings for him or anything like that. He hasn't been neglecting the pregnancy with the exception of the night of the charity event. So, why would she care?

"Hey." A voice sounded breaking Nathan of his thoughts. He turned and saw Haley standing in the doorway.

"Hey. What are you doing out of bed?" He asked rushing over to her.

"I had to get out of that bed, Nathan. I'm going crazy. I'm not doing anything strenuous." She answered.

"Except climbing down stairs." He countered.

"Please, that isn't strenuous. I don't feel worn out or anything. I'm fine." She assured. He rolled his eyes at her. "Geez, Haley, is it really that difficult for you to follow the simplist of instructions?" He said aggravated.

"Yes, it is." She claimed with a laugh. "Look, Nathan, I wouldn't have come down here if I thought it was going to harm me or the baby." She continued.

"Fine. But after, you are going right back up those stairs and into bed." He said sternly.

"Yes, sir." She stated.

"So, what brings you down here anyway?" He asked as they both sat down on the couch in the family room.

"I don't know. I was thinking of maybe finding a good book to read. What are you doing?" She asked.

"Oh, just working on some things for work." He answered.

"Want some help? I feel so out of the loop with the company. That is one of the many annoying things coming along with this pregnancy." She stated.

"It's not your fault you can't be there, Hales. The people understand. And just remember, when our daughter is born, you won't be thinking about not being there for the company." He responded.

"My due date is in five weeks. It's so crazy." She said.

"I know. Are you nervous?" He asked.

"A little. I'm nervous about not being a good mother." She admitted.

"You're going to be an amazing mother, Hales. You have that natural mother instinct. And if I had to choose anyone to be the mother of my baby, it would be you. And I pray our daughter inherits everything from you-your looks and your brains. And your personality. I want her to be the exact replica of you." He said and noticed the tears glistening in her eyes.

"Thank you, Nathan. You know, you're going to be an amazing father, too. If you would have asked me that a couple years ago, I probably would have laughed. But now, I know it's true. And she can inherit some traits from you, too. You have some endearing qualities about yourself." She said.

"Oh yeah. Like what?" He inquired.

"Like your confindence and your perserverence. Your looks wouldn't be a bad thing either." She stated as he smirked at her. "And your protectiveness." She finished. He looked at her and smiled in appreciation. "You know together, we're gonna have one kick-ass daughter." He stated.

"We are, aren't we?" She stated as he nodded at her. Just then, the doorbell sounded. "I wonder who that is." She said.

"I don't know. I'll go check and get rid of them." He stated standing up.

"You know, if you want to bring me some ice cream when you come back. I wouldn't mind." She hinted to him as he let out a laugh. "Oh, I suppose I could do that for you." He said leaving the room. He made his way to the front door. He opened it only to see Rachel on the other side. "Rachel, what are you doing here?" He asked.

"Well, you've been ignoring my calls all week. What the hell, Nathan?" She said angrily.

"I've had more important things to worry about this week than you." He countered.

"Like Haley?" She asked.

"Yeah, like Haley." He responded.

"You're an idiot, Nathan." She scoffed. "What do you think is going to happen? You're gonna take care of Haley, and then, you two are going to ride off into the sunset together." She continued.

"It's not about that. It's about doing the right thing. It's about being there for my daughter. It's about being there for the mother of my daughter. It's about protecting my family, and that's what they are. Whether you like it or not, Haley is my wife. And she is pregnant with my child. And right now, I think it's time for you to leave." He said shutting the door.

A couple minutes later, Nathan returned to the family room with a bowl of ice cream and handed it to Haley who was now laying down on the couch. "Oh, thank you so much!" She exclaimed immediately shoving a spoonful into her mouth. "So, who was at the door?" She asked as he lifted her legs and sat down on the couch placing her legs on top of his.

"Nobody important." He answered massaging her feet.

"That feels so good." She moaned closing her eyes and relaxing further into the couch. Nathan massaged her feet more forcefully as he watched her face. What was wrong with him? He was getting turned on just watching her. They hadn't been together in close to two months, and god, did he want her. He wanted her all the time. He moved his hands up to her calves and gently massaged them. He kept inching his hands further up her legs until reaching her thighs. Haley's breathing became more labored as she felt his touch. Her hormones were going crazy right now, and she wanted him. She felt him pull back slightly and opened her eyes to look at him. She saw the hesitation in his eyes. She sat up on the couch and moved to straddle him. She found a comfortable position and leaned forward capturing his lips with hers. The kiss was demanding and had a sense of urgency to it. It didn't take long before their tongues found one another and battled for dominance. She felt his hands go underneath her tank top gripping her waist. She reached for the hem of his t-shirt and quickly ripped it off his body before leaning forward and placing kisses along his chest. "God, Haley, should we be doing this? Is it safe?" He stammered out.

"It's fine." She said in between kisses.

"I don't think we..." He began until he felt her moving to face him. "It's okay. Dr. Bryan said it's fine as long as we're carefull." She assured before capturing him in a kiss once again. He moved his kisses down to her neck as she threw her head back. He felt her fingers raking through his hair as he sucked on her skin more forcefully. He moved his hands down to the hem of her shorts. He placed his hand inside and moved his finger up her center causing her to let out a loud moan. He continued to move his finger back and forth. She rested her forehead against his shoulder peppering kisses along his skin. He knew she was close by the way her breathing became more rapid and her moans grew louder. "Come on, Haley. Let go." He whispered huskily. In an instant, she grabbed his face and pulled him in for a kiss. He felt her body shudder as she pulled back slightly letting his name fall from her lips. He pulled his hand out of her shorts resting it on her thigh. She rested her forehead against his as she waited for her body to calm down. "Are you okay?" He asked quietly.

"Yeah. I'm more than okay." She answered looking into his eyes. He leaned forward and kissed her sensually. It wasn't like their previous kisses. It was soft and intimate. After minutes of just kissing, he felt her run her fingers down his chest and down his abs until reaching the elastic of his shorts. She didn't hesitate before diving inside and taking hold of him and working him the way he worked her. She smirked when she felt his fingers digging into her thighs as he flung his head back against the couch. She leaned forwards slightly until she was hovering right outside his ear. "Does that feel good, Nathan?" She whispered huskily.

"God, yes." He panted out. Just like Haley's did, he felt his body reacting quickly. His breaths quickened and he moaned her name as he let himself go completely. After his body calmed down, he thought he would be satisfied. But the truth was that he was never fully satisfied until he had her completely. He wanted her even more now. It's been two months of not kissing her or touching her or making love to her. And he didn't want to wait any longer. Just as he was about to continue on, she asked a question which stopped his movements

"Did you sleep with Rachel?" She asked timidly and suddenly.

"What?" He asked not sure if he heard her correctly.

"Did you sleep with Rachel?" She repeated. He watched her face as she asked him this question. She was nervous and terrified at hearing his answer. He saw the tears glistening in her eyes. He cupped her face in his hands making sure she was looking directly into his eyes. "No, I didn't sleep with Rachel." He answered honestly. He heard her let out a sigh of relief and kissed him passionately which he instantly returned. She broke the kiss and threw her arms around his neck pulling him to her as close as she possibly could. He felt her tears landing on his bare back. "I told you, Haley. I won't cheat on you. I won't do that to you." He reassured her quietly as she nodded her head in response.

* * *

Two weeks later, Haley convinced Nathan she was okay for him to go into the office for a meeting. She promised him she would keep it easy. She told him if she started to feel any discomfort or sickness, she would call him immediately. After some more convincing, he finally agreed and left the house. A couple hours later, Haley made her way downstairs for something to drink. As she was making herself some herbal tea, she heard a knock echoing throughout the house. She walked to the front door and opened it. "What are you doing here?" She asked when she noticed who was on the other side.

"Is Nathan here?" Rachel asked.

"No, he's not." Haley answered.

"Well, where is he?" Rachel asked rudely.

"Nowhere that concerns you." Haley answered coldly. She went to shut the door when Rachel reached out and stopped her. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Haley asked when she saw Rachel force her way into her house.

"I think we need to set the record straight on some things." Rachel said turning to face her.

"Like what?" Haley asked.

"Nathan for starters. You think that just because you're married to him and having his baby that you have some sort of claim to him. You don't. He doesn't love you, even though I know you love him. It's hard not to fall in love with a guy like him. But just because you guys have had sex, doesn't mean a damn thing. Before you came along, he was always sleeping around with numerous girls. Sex means nothing to him, except when he was with me. We made love, because we were in love with each other. I truly hope you don't think what the two of you do is classified as making love. Both parties have to be in love for that to be the case. And let's face it, he's not in love with you. This marriage is nothing but an agreement." Rachel said.

"You know nothing about our marriage." Haley declared.

"Really? That's funny, because Nathan told me all about your parents' wills. He said the only way for you guys to gain ownership was for the two of you to get married and stay married for at least five years. And that you must have at least one child within that time frame. He told me point blank that this marriage had nothing to do with love." Rachel said smugly and smirked when she saw the look of hurt on Haley's face. "Did you honestly think he cared about you? He cares about the company, and he cares about his daughter. You, on the other hand, mean nothing more than the mother of his child. In a little less than four years, you guys will be divorced with nothing but your daughter as a symbol of your marriage. Then, he's a free man. And guess who will be there to rekindle their old relationship-me. He's still in love with me. And the only reason we're not together right now is out of respect for your guys' marriage." She continued.

"Please, just leave." Haley said quietly.

"Oh, did he tell you that we kissed? I bet he didn't, did he? Yeah, we kissed the day you were rushed to the hospital. It was just like I remembered it, except a little bit more passionate." Rachel said.

"Get out of my house! And I'm warning you that if you ever step foot on my property again, I will call the cops." Haley warned.

"You're forgetting something, sweetie. This is Nathan's house, too. And if he wants me here, there's nothing you can do about it." Rachel countered and was confused as Haley let out a little chuckle.

"That's where you're wrong. This is my house. He may be living here right now, but it's mine. I own it. Now, get the hell off my property." Haley yelled as Rachel sent her a smug smile before leaving. Once she was gone, Haley shut the door and sunk to the floor crying.

Nathan returned home later that afternoon and noticed how dark the house seemed. He couldn't help but feel worried that something might have happened to Haley and immediately rushed up the stairs. He arrived at the bedroom and saw her sitting on the bed staring at the comforter. "Hey, Hales." He greeted.

"Hey." She greeted quietly without tearing her eyes away from the comforter.

"Hey, is something wrong?" He asked concerned.

"What would make you think there's something wrong?" She asked.

"Haley, look at me." He said. She finally looked at him, and he noticed her tear-stained face. "What's wrong, sweetie?" He asked moving his hand to cup her cheek. He flinched as she swatted his hand away and stood up from the bed. "Please, don't call me that. Don't call me sweetie or baby or any other little pet name you use for me." She said angrily.

"Okay, do you want to tell me what's wrong?" He asked.

"How could you tell her?" She asked.

"Tell who what?" He asked confused.

"Rachel. How could you tell her the real reason we got married? We agreed the only people who would know the truth would be Lucas and Brooke and your Uncle Keith and Aunt Karen. How could you do that?" She asked.

"Who told you that?" He asked.

"Rachel did. She paid a little visit here while you were at your meeting. She was all too willing to let me know how you shared all the details with her about our marriage." She answered.

"Haley, I didn't mean to...look, that was before..."

"Before what, Nathan!" She interrupted heatedly.

"Before I..."

"Did you kiss her?" She interrupted again. She knew her answer the minute he didn't answer and tore his eyes away from her. But she wanted to hear him admit it out loud. "It's a simple question, Nathan. Did you kiss her?" She asked again.

"Yeah, I did." He answered quietly as she started crying. "But it didn't mean anything, Hales. It just happened." He said.

"A kiss always means something, Nathan. Especially when it comes from the girl you were in love with. God, you're such an asshole. I hate you, Nathan. I hate you so much. And I hate our parents for putting me through this. At this point, I don't give a damn about the company. If I knew this was how my life would turn out to be, I would never have agreed to marry you!" She cried.

"Haley, I..."

"I want a divorce, Nathan." She revealed catching him off gaurd.

"What?" He asked.

"I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to feel this way anymore. I can't. I'm tired. I don't even want the company anymore. The only thing I want right now is my daughter. I don't want you, and I don't want this marriage." She said.

"No, Haley, you don't mean that." He said.

"Yes, I do." She stated. He rushed over to her pulling her to him. "I'm sorry, Haley. I'm so sorry. Please don't do this. You don't want to do this. You're just emotional right now. Please, I'm so sorry." He said reaching out to cup her cheek only to get pushed away from her. "Get away from me, Nathan! Don't touch me! Just stay away from me!" She yelled as her tears turned into heavy sobs.

"Calm down, Haley. You need to calm down." He said gently as his concern over her and the baby greatly increased. "Please, just relax and take a seat." He continued.

"No, stop! Stop acting like you give a damn about me! Stop acting like you care! Just stop!" She yelled before falling to the ground in pain. He immediately rushed to her side. "Haley, are you okay?" He asked in a panic.

"Nathan, it hurts!" She cried into his shoulder.

"It's okay. It's going to be okay." He reassured as he dug into his pants pocket and pulled out his cell phone quickly dialing 911. He talked to an operator who told him to remain calm-an ambulance is on its way. He placed the phone back into his pocket wrapping his arms around Haley as she clung to him tightly still crying out in pain. He looked down and saw some blood on the floor underneath her. "It's going to be okay. They'll be here any second. Everything's going to be okay." He stated trying to reassure himself as much as her.

* * *

"Nathan! Is she okay? What's going on?" Brooke asked as she and Lucas rushed up to him. He was sitting on the edge of a table in the waiting room with his head in his hands. "I don't know. The doctors rushed her away, and I, umm...I don't know what's going on." Nathan cried.

"It's going to be okay, Nathan." Lucas stated.

"No, it's not okay, Luke!" Nathan exclaimed standing up. "Don't you get that. It's not okay!" He continued.

"Nathan, I know how hard this is, but you've gotta remain calm and hopeful." Lucas said.

"I can't lose her, Luke. I can't. I've already lost my parents. I can't lose her or our baby, too." He cried before breaking down into heavy sobs.

* * *

_"I still love you, Nathan. I made a mistake breaking things off between us. I want us back." Rachel revealed as the two were arguing in his office._

_"I can't, Rachel. I'm married. Haley's pregnant." He said._

_"But you still have feelings for me, Nathan. I can feel it any time we're together." She said pulling him into a passionate kiss. He didn't hesitate in kissing her back. But this kiss felt different from how their kisses used to feel. And this kiss felt different from his kisses with Haley. He finally understood why that was. He broke their kiss and gently pushed Rachel away from him. "I can't do this, Rachel." He stated._

_"Why?" She asked._

_"Because I'm in love with Haley." He declared catching her off gaurd._

_"You what?" She asked._

_"I'm sorry, but I love Haley. I think I have been in love with her for some time now." He said._

_"You will never love her the way you loved me." She stated._

_"You're right." He declared as she smiled and leaned forward to kiss him again only to have him hold out his arms in front of him to stop her. "Because I love her more than I ever loved you." He continued._

_"You're only thinking that because of the baby. These feelings aren't real." She said._

_"No, they're real. I love her, and I love our daughter. And I don't want to get a divorce. I want to be with her completely." __He countered._

_"She doesn't love you, Nathan. I know when a woman is in love with a man, and she's not in love with you. She loves you because you gave her a baby, but that's all. She will never love you the way you deserve to be loved. I mean, she already kicked you out of her bed. She got what she wanted from you. And now, she doesn't need you anymore. You will be not__hing more than the father of her baby, and the guy who helped her gain ownership of her company." She stated._

_"That's not true." He retorted. But in his head, he began to question it himself._

_"It is, Nathan. Look at you guys, you're like polar opposites. She's never been attracted to you or guys like you. You'll never be good enough for her. She'll always be wanting something more-someone better than you. If she stays with you, __it will only be for the sake of your daughter. You'll never have her heart completely." She said. She smirked when she saw the look of realization spread across his face._

_"I have to go." He said quietly._

_"Where?" She asked._

_"I have this, umm, this charity event tonight. I'll see you later, Rachel." He responded before rushing out of his office. She smiled as she watched his retreating form._

Nathan awoke with a start confused by his settings until realizing he was still at the hospital. He leaned off the hospital bed stretching in his chair. He refocused his attention back to his wife who was still sleeping. He reached his hands out and enclosing them around her left hand. He brought her hand up to his lips and gently kissed it before settling it back down on the bed. He saw her two wedding rings on her finger and twirled them around it. He felt her move her fingers and immediately looked up to her face and noticed her waking up. "Hey." He greeted.

"Hey." She returned.

"Thank God you're awake." He exclaimed resting his head on her shoulder.

"The baby. Is the baby okay?" She asked remembering what happened.

"She's perfect. She's in the nursery waiting to meet her mom." He revealed.

"What? She is? What's she look like?" She asked as her tears fell down her cheeks.

"I don't know. I wanted to see her for the first time with you. But I bet my life that she's as beautiful as you are." He said. "I'll paige the nurse and let her know you're awake, okay." He said.

"Okay, I want to see her." She said as he paiged the nurse before climbing into the bed next to her.

A minute later, the door opened and a nurse walked in. "Someone wants to meet her mommy and daddy." The nurse said walking further into the room handing the baby over to Haley. Once they were situated, she quickly left the room leaving them all alone. "Oh my gosh, she's beautiful. She's so amazing." Haley said as her tears fell harder.

"She sure is." Nathan was quick to agree.

"Hi, sweetie. It's your mom, I am so relieved to finally meet you. I love you so much. You're my perfect little angel, you know that." Haley said.

"Hey, it's your daddy. I still can't believe you're finally here. You know, you are just as perfect as I imagine you would be. And you are just as beautiful as your mommy is. I love you so much. You will always be daddy's little girl." Nathan said. Just as he finished his words, her eyes opened and looked directly into Nathan's. "Well, I guess she is daddy's little girl, huh." Haley commented with a small laugh.

"She's our little girl." Nathan said causing Haley to look at him. He leaned in and kissed her softly but meaningfully. They broke apart and moved their focus back to their daughter. After a couple of seconds, there was a gentle knock at the door. They looked up and saw Lucas and Brooke walking through the door. "Hey, is this a bad time? We can come back later." Brooke said.

"No, no, it's the perfect time. I would like for the two of to meet your God-daughter." Haley said as Brooke and Lucas approached the bed. "Oh my gosh, you guys, she's beautiful." Brooke gushed.

"That's amazing." Lucas commented in awe.

"I know. It's still so hard to believe that she's mine. I made that." Nathan said pointing to the little girl causing them all to laugh. "I had a little help, though." He continued looking pointedly at Haley.

"Eww, gross, Nate." Lucas commented disgusted.

"Well, honey, where else do you think she came from? The stork?" Brooke said.

"In my mind-yes." He answered as Brooke rolled her eyes at her husband.

"Anyway, are you guys finally going to tell us her name?" Brooke asked with anticipation. Nathan and Haley smiled at one another before Haley responded. "Lucas, Brooke, I would like you to meet Alexia Penelope Scott."

"What? Are you serious?" Brooke asked.

"Of course. You have been there for us through everything these passed couple of years. You are an amazing person and an amazing friend, Brooke. And you are going to be an amazing godmother. And we are so blessed that our daughter will have such an amazing aunt to count on." Haley said.

"Oh my gosh, thank you so much!" Brooke exclaimed in appreciation as she leaned forward to give Haley a slight hug before moving to give the baby a kiss on her forehead. "I am going to be the best aunt and godmother you'll ever see." She declared.

"Well, I feel kind of left out. I mean, how come I don't get it named after me?" Lucas joked.

"Don't worry, you'll get the next one if it's a boy." Nathan commented without realizing what he said. A silence fell into the room as they all looked at one another awkwardly. "So, when can you get out of here?" Brooke randomly asked changing the subject.

"Oh, umm, I don't know. Probably in a few days." Haley answered still thinking about Nathan's words.

"Well, remember to call us if you two need any help with that." Brooke said.

"Oh, we will." Nathan said as they all laughed.

"Hey, my mom and dad said they'll stop by later today. They send their congratulations." Lucas said as Nathan and Haley nodded. "Well, we better get going. I'm sure Haley's exhausted. And I'm sure you guys want some more alone time with Alexia." He continued knowing Brooke would stay all night if he didn't intervene. They all said their goodbyes before Lucas and Brooke left.

"How are you feeling?" Nathan asked Haley once they were out of sight.

"I'm fine. I'm tired, but I'm good." She answered.

"Good." He said.

"Here, Nathan. You haven't had a chance to hold her yet." Haley said.

"Are you sure? I can wait awhile longer." He said.

"No, absolutely not. She's your daughter, too." She said handing him the baby. Nathan took her into his arms and held her gently. He never thought it would feel like this. It was one of the most amazing feelings he had ever come across. He never wanted to let her go. Haley watched in a awe. Her heart melted at the sight of Nathan holding their daughter. She smiled as she watched Nathan smiling down at their daughter. No moment in her life compared to this moment right now. She never wanted it to end.

**There you go. Okay, just to let you guys know, I'm a huge Friends fan. The next chapter will have some referenses to that show. And the next chapter will feature some alone time for Brucas. Thanks for your reviews once again. I'll have a new chapter up for you guys either Friday night or Saturday night. Until then!**


	13. Chapter 13

**_Okay, a couple things before you start reading. This chapter basically consists of all dialogue. It sometimes shifts from Naley to Brucas and vice versa. So, to not make it appear too jumbled together, I put a line spacer in between the different dialogues. And, sorry this chapter is really short._**

_New baby for JOTTS DIST! The owners of the multi-million dollar company, Nathan and Haley Scott, welcomed their new baby girl into th__e world. Alexia Penelpe Scott was born on Thursday, February 2, 2011. We haven't received all of the details, but according to our sources both mommy and baby are healthy. We will release any and all details as they are given to us. For now, congratulations goes out to Nathan and Haley!_

Rachel slammed the newspaper down on table. She was furious. Haley wasn't supposed to be due for another three weeks. She still needed to work on spreading more doubts in both Nathan and Haley's minds. Her plans have been somewhat altered now considering, she knew Nathan wouldn't be leaving Haley's side anytime soon. Now, she had to come up with a different plan.

* * *

"Okay, I have everything you requested." Brooke replied walking into Haley's hospital room. "I have some clothes for both you and Lexie, your toothbrush, and a bunch of other essentials. I also have some stuff for Nathan." She continued.

"Thank you, Brooke." Haley said taking the bag out of her hands. "We didn't exactly have things prepared yet for this." She said.

"That's what I'm here for." Brooke commented before noticing Nathan asleep on the small couch in the room. "He looks exhausted." She said.

"Yeah, I finally managed to convince him to take a nap. He's been forcing himself to stay awake to keep an eye on me and Lexie." Haley explained. "I hate to ask, but do you think you could do me another favor?" She asked.

"Of course. What do you need?" Brooke asked.

"I don't think he's eaten anything since we arrived here. Would you go pick him up something from the cafeteria or something?" Haley asked.

"Well, it's a good thing you have such a genius of a best friend. Luke will be here in about an hour, and I have ordered him to bring the two of you some decent food with him." Brooke revealed.

"You're a godsend, Brooke Scott." Haley stated.

"True." Brooke replied as the two girls laughed. "So, when is this sweet little angel going to wake up so I can hold the crap out of her?" She asked turning her attention to a sleeping Alexia.

"Well, she's been sleeping basically since Nathan fell asleep which has been about a couple hours now. I think she'll probably wake up shortly. I need to try feeding her again soon anyway. I've been having some trouble with it. She doesn't seem to want to do it. It's very frustrating. I feel like I'm doing something wrong." Haley stated.

"Oh, don't worry about that, sweetie. Sometimes if just takes a little longer. It will happen." Brooke reassured as Haley nodded her head. "So, how is mommy feeling?" Brooke asked pulling a chair next to the bed.

"Mommy's tired and happy and a whole bunch of other emotions. But mostly, I'm happy. Gosh, Brooke, I've always loved her from the moment I found out I was pregnant. But that first moment I held her in my arms, my heart about burst with love for her. It was the most amazing feeling of my life. I don't even know how to explain it. Last night, she wrapped her tiny, little finger around mine and clung to it. She has such a strong grip for such a little thing." Haley said.

"She's one beautiful little girl. She gets that from her mom. So, how's Nathan handling it?" Brooke asked.

"He's amazing. He always tells me I have this natual motherly instinct, but Brooke, he's a natural. He just immediately fell into the role of fatherhood perfectly. And, I about melted the first time he held her. It was such an incredible sight. I hate to say this, but it made me fall in love with him even more." Haley said.

"What's so bad about that?" Brooke asked confused.

"We kind of had a fight right before I was rushed to the hospital. It was bad. It wasn't anything like our other fights. I told him I wanted a divorce." Haley admitted.

"What? Why?" Brooke asked shocked.

"I just can't do it anymore, Brooke. I'm tired of it." Haley answered.

"Do you still feel that way now?" Brooke asked.

"Yes and no. I just, with Lexie, it complicates things even more now." Haley stated.

"Well, you knew she was coming when you were fighting, how is it more complicated now?" Brooke asked.

"Did I mention that I was very hormonal during this fight?" Haley said as Brooke laughed. "Oh, Brooke, what should I do?" She asked.

"I think you and Nathan just need to sit down and talk about things-calmly." Brooke responded.

* * *

"Hey, sleepyhead." Haley greeted when she noticed Nathan waking up.

"Hey." He returned stretching before standing up and walking over to the bed. "How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Tired and sore." She answered.

"I'm sorry. I wish I could make it better for you." He stated sympathetically.

"It's okay. It's worth it, right?" She said.

"I would answer that, but there really is no right way to." He stated as she laughed. "Anyway, I'm kind of hungry. Are you? I can go get us something from the cafeteria." He said.

"Actually, Lucas is bringing something from the cafe. He should be here any minute." She said.

"Thank God. I need something with some actual taste to it." He stated just as the baby began crying. Nathan picked her up out of the... She immediately stopped crying as he gently rocked her back and forth. "You're a natural." Haley commented. He looked up and smiled at her. He walked over to the bed and sat down beside her. "Knock, knock." Brooke greeted as she and Lucas walked into the room. "Hey. You are just in time, Brooke. I think someone wants her favorite aunt to hold her." Haley said.

"Yah!" Brooke exclaimed rushing over to Nathan taking the baby from his arms gently. "Hi, Lexie, it's your favorite Aunt Brooke." She said.

"Here is some food for you guys. Macaroni and cheese for you, Hales. And Nate, I just got you a cheeseburger and some fries." Lucas said handing the food over to them.

"Thank you so much, Lucas." Haley said as they both dug into their food. Lucas took a seat on a chair as Brooke came and sat on his lap with Lexie still in her arms. "Haley, stop!" Lucas and Brooke heard Nathan yell and turned their focus over to them. "What? I'm not doing anything." Haley said.

"You're eating all of my fries." Nathan complained.

"I'm sorry, but they look good." She said.

"Well, then, you should have got your own." He said.

"I just had your baby, so if I want some fries, I'll take some." She said shoving a handful of fries into her mouth as Nathan laughed at her. "Fine, I suppose I can share. But just so you know, that whole 'I just had your baby' thing won't last forever." He said. After a few minutes, Alexia started crying. Haley decided she should try feeding her again. Lucas and Brooke left the room to give them some privacy. "Oh my gosh, Nathan, she's doing it!" Haley exclaimed after a minute of trying. "Oh, this feels really weird." She continued.

"Good weird?" He questioned.

"Wonderful weird." She answered.

"You know, it still feels weird that I have a daughter. That we have a daughter." He said as they looked at each other. He leaned in and kissed her. It was a slow kiss but held so much emotion. Their tongues met as they slowly glided with one another. It lasted for a couple more minutes before they broke apart. "Nathan, we need to talk." Haley said quietly.

* * *

Brooke was sitting in Lucas' lap in the waiting room. "You know, I was thinking that maybe we should try for a baby." Lucas revealed.

"What?" Brooke asked shocked.

"I think we're ready. I didn't think I would be ready now, but ever since Alexia was born...I don't know, I've just been thinking a lot about it." He said.

"Are you serious?" She asked still processing his words.

"Yeah, I am. I love you, and I want to have a baby with you." He responded. He waited for her to respond, but instead she just continued staring at him. "Brooke?" He said snapping her out of her daze. "Yeah."

"I was just say..."

"No, yes. Yes, I want to have a baby!" She exclaimed as she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. After a couple minutes, he broke apart. "I don't think we should be doing this here." He said.

"You're right. Let's go." She said standing up and pulling him along with her. He watched confused when she pulled him into an empty room. "What are we doing in here?"

"We're having sex." She declared hastily unbottoning his shirt.

"Brooke, we can't have sex in here." He said.

"We can, and we are." She said pushing the shirt off his body.

"I can't. We can't do this in a..." He stopped abruptly when she pulled her shirt over her head throwing onto a nearby chair. "Okay, we can do this here." He said kissing her. He picked her up off the floor as she instinctively wrapped her legs around his legs. He walked them over to the bed and lowered them onto it. Just as she finished unbuckling his belt, the door flew open. They looked and saw a nurse standing in the doorway with a not so pleased expression on her face. "We were just...umm, yeah, we're gonna go." Brooke stammered out as they scrambled out of the bed. They quickly found their shirts before running out the door embarrassed.

"Gosh, Brooke, I told you we couldn't do that here." Lucas said buttoning his last button.

"We can't do it in there." She said. He looked up to her in disbelief. "Really? You really want to go find another empty room after we just got caught?" He asked incredulously.

"No." She responded.

"Good, because I'm not doing that again." He stated.

"No, no, we can't do it in there. But we can do it in here." She said pulling him into an empty closet closing the door behind her.

* * *

"Okay, what do we need to talk about?" Nathan asked.

"Us." Haley said.

"What about us?" He asked.

"We need to talk about what we were talking about before this all happened." She said. Nathan stood up from the bed and sighed. He knew this was coming. He just didn't know when. Truthfully, he was hoping she would forget about it because of Lexie. "Nathan, I was very hormonal and upset during our fight. Before I had time to process what I was saying, I just started spitting out things I didn't mean." She began. He looked up at her hopeful-hoping that she didn't mean she wanted the divorce. "I do want the company still. I don't want to lose it. And I don't want you to lose it." She continued. He sighed. _Of course it was all about the company._ "So, what do you want to do?" He asked.

"Well, obviously we have three more years that we have to stay married. We should stick it out. We can continue to live together and stay married. That way, we are both with Lexie. I really don't want to be getting passed back and forth between us. That's not fair to her or either of us." She answered.

"So, you want to stay married." He stated.

"Yes, for Lexie and the company." She said as he nodded his head. "So, that means you stay in the guest bedroom. We go back to how it was before Lexie was conceived." She finished quietly.

"Okay." He agreed. He wasn't completely on board with this arrangement. He loved her and wanted to be with her. He wanted to be a family with her and Lexie. But he also knew he couldn't push her into anything. He saw how she reacted the night she was rushed to the hospital. He had never seen her like that before. He didn't realize how hurt she was feeling, and he didn't want to put her through that anymore. He couldn't force her into loving him back the way he loves her. But what he didn't realize was that she was struggling with the same thoughts.

* * *

"That was amazing." Brooke commented as she and Lucas stepped out of the closet and leaned against the door. "Do you realize we may have just changed our lives completely. We may have just made a baby." She said excitedly.

"And if not, we got to do it on a bucket." Lucas commented.

"Hey, do you want to do it again? This time just for us." She suggested. He looks down to himself. "I don't know, probably." He says as they rush back into the closet.

**Okay, there you go. I know, it's really short. I'm so sorry. I'm not trying to make excuses, but I've been so tired this week. And we freaken got more snow today which wasn't supposed to come until tomorrow. And I got stuck in the alley behind my house and had to call a tow truck. Let me tell you, I am so over this snow. I didn't mind it at first, but I had to call off work today because of it. But what can you do? Anyway, I'm going to try to write more Brucas within the chapters if that's what people like and want. I'm not used to it. But I've been trying to watch old OTH episodes to remember how they talk and act with one another so I can do them justice. I had someone request it, but I don't know how others feel about it. If you want me to or not, feel free to tell me in your reviews. And I would just like to thank you all again for your awesome reviews. If I haven't said it before, you guys rock! And also thank you to those of your reading but not reviewing. I hope you are still enjoying this story. Well, with everything going on, I'm not going to make any promises about when the next chapter will be up. I hope to write it while I'm watching the Superbowl. Go Packers! Sorry, Steelers fans. So, hopefully you'll have another one tomorrow night or Monday morning. Until then!**


	14. Chapter 14

"Home sweet home." Nathan said as he and Haley walked in carrying Lexie and their stuff from the hospital. "Doesn't it feel like we just did this?" He commented.

"Yes. But at least this time we're bringing home our beautiful little girl." Haley said. They made their way up the stairs to the bedroom. She set down the bags on the bed as he did the same with the carseat. "So, how does it feel to be out of that hospital?" He asked unfastening Lexie from the carseat.

"Wonderful. I was going more crazy in that hospital than I was when I was stuck in this bed. What about you? Are you glad to be home?" She asked unpacking all of their stuff.

"Yes." He answered. "Did you want to go take a shower or something?"

"Actually, yes, if you don't mind. I feel so gross." She answered. She walked over to him and gave Lexie a kiss on the forehead. "Thanks, Nathan." She said before walking away into the bathroom. He smiled as he watched her shut the door behind her. "You see her, Lexie, that's your mommy. She's the most amazing woman in the world. And she loves you so much. Just like I do." He said kissing her on the cheek.

About fifteen minutes later, Haley stepped out of the shower feeling refreshed. She dried herself off and put on some new clothes. She towel-dried her hair and brushed her teeth. She walked out of the bathroom and stopped at the sight she saw. Nathan was laying on the bed sleeping with Lexie laying on his chest also sleeping. She smiled before turning out the light and making her way downstairs. She went into the kitchen to get something to drink. She settled on making some hot chocolate and made her way back upstairs. Deciding not to wake them up, she settled on one of the chairs in their loft with a book to read. About an hour later, she heard feet shuffling into the loft. She looked up and saw Nathan. "Hey, did you have a nice nap?" She asked.

"Yeah, sorry." He said.

"Oh, don't worry about it. I'm sure you're exhausted. Besides, I may have took some really cute pictures of the two of you." She admitted. He couldn't help but chuckle at her.

"Did you have a refreshing shower?" He asked.

"Yes. It was amazing. Lexie still asleep, I'm guessing." She said as he nodded. "Yup, I put her down in her crib. She's out-for now." He said making his way behind her and gently massaging her shoulders. "That's feels good." Haley said closing her eyes in relaxation.

"So, I was thinking that on Thursday, we could bring Lexie to the office. There's going to be a small meeting, and I was wanting to take her to it. I know everyone would love to see her. And I know Stephanie is dying to see her. I forgot to tell you that she called to tell us congratulations and to bring that baby in as soon as we can." He said.

"That's sweet. You know, I really like Stephanie." She stated.

"Oh, really? I remember not too long ago, you were jealous of her." He commented.

"I was not jealous." She scoffed.

"Sure." He said.

"I wasn't jealous of her, Nathan." She said.

"Okay, whatever you say." He said with a smirk while continuing to massage her shoulders. "Anyway, does that sound like a plan for Thursday?" He asked.

"Yeah. I can't wait to show her off to everyone!" She exclaimed. "Maybe after we leave the office, we can go over to your house and visit with your mom. We can introduce her to her grandchild. I mean, she may not be awake, but I believe she may be able to hear us." She suggested.

"I would really like that." He said. Haley debated whether she should bring up the inevitable conversation about his mom. She didn't want to upset him, but they needed to have this conversation sooner or later. "Nathan, we need to talk about your mom." She said quietly.

"What about her?" He asked.

"Nathan, it's been over two years. The doctor said that it's very unlikely for a comatose person to come back if it's been longer than three years. I just think we should start preparing for that." She explained carefully.

"She could wake up, Hales." He said.

"No, I know that. And I believe she could still wake up. I just...I just think we should prepare for it. Make some arrangements and stuff. You know, just in case." She continued. He just nodded at her solemnly. "Look, Nathan, I didn't mean to upset you or anything. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up." She said.

"No, Hales, you're right. I do need to start thinking about this stuff. It's just hard, you know. She's my mom." He said.

"I know. Believe me, I would probably be the same way if either of my parents were still alive. It's not easy, Nathan. And I don't expect you to be okay with it." She said.

"Can we just give it another year? If she hasn't woke up or showed any signs of waking up, then, we'll figure things out. It is just too much to think about with Lexie and everything. Please, I just need a year." He said.

"Of course, Nathan. I completely understand." She agreed.

"Haley, I'm sorry your parents can't be here to see Lexie. I wish my dad was here. He always talked about how he couldn't wait to have grandkids." He said.

"He would have been a great grandpa. My parents, too. It's hard, but it's getting easier as the days go by. I wish they could all be here for Lexie. She would have had two sets of awesome, kick-ass grandparents. I just wish they could be here to watch her grow up-you know, watch her celebrate her first Christmas and first birthday, watch her go to preschool for the first time, help teach her how to drive, watch her graduate and leave for college, get married and have her own kids." She said as tears slid down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, I'm still so emotional right now. I'm just being stupid." She said.

"It's not stupid, Haley. It's perfectly normal to feel this way. I wish the same things everyday." He said brushing her tears away pulling her into a soft embrace. "At least she has both of us to tell her all about her awesome grandparents." He continued rubbing his arms up and down her back.

"That's true. Thanks, Nathan." She said into his shoulder.

"You're welcome." He responded quietly. Their moment was interrupted by the sound of crying. They broke apart and let out a small laugh. "I guess that's our cue. Welcome to our new life." She said as they both walked towards the nursery.

* * *

"Mr. Scott! Mrs. Scott! Oh my gosh, it's so great to see you!" Stephanie exclaimed once she saw Nathan and Haley stepping out of the elevator.

"Hi, Stephanie. How many times do we need to tell you that it's Nathan and Haley?" Nathan said with a laugh.

"I'm sorry. So, let me see that gorgeous baby." Stephanie said. Nathan set the carseat down on her desk before unfastening and taking Lexie out. "Stephanie, this is Alexia Scott." He introduced.

"Oh my gosh, she's so precious. She looks just like you, Haley." Stephanie commented.

"Thanks. I hope that's a good thing." Haley responded.

"Oh, it is. Trust me-that's a great thing." Nathan stated as Haley blushed and smiled shyly.

"Can I hold her?" Stephanie asked.

"Of course." Nathan said passing the baby over to her.

"I still can't get over how cute she is." Stephanie gushed after a few seconds. "How are you feeling, Haley?" She asked after another couple of minutes passed.

"I'm feeling okay. Still a little sore, but it's getting better." Haley answered as Stephanie nodded in understanding.

"Hey, Stephanie, is the meeting still starting at the same time?" Nathan asked.

"Yes, it is. Are you guys going to bring her in there? Everyone's been asking me about her and the two of you. They're all really excited to see her." Stephanie answered.

"Good, because I'm so excited to show her off." Haley said. The three of them continued talking for another fifteen minutes until the meeting started. Nathan and Haley went in where everyone was already waiting. They were genuinely excited to see the baby. The two received congratulations from everyone. They conversed for a few minutes before deciding it was a good idea to start the meeting. Haley took Lexie and went back out with Stephanie. "How's motherhood?" Stephanie asked as the two took a seat.

"Wonderful. It's everything I dreamed of and more." Haley answered.

"You look great." Stephanie commented.

"I don't think so. I still have the weight from the pregnancy. To tell you the truth, I just feel so disgusting right now." Haley admitted.

"Oh, Haley, first of all, stop. It's been a week since you had her. I'm sure you've been insanely busy with Lexie. And second of all, you're beautiful, Hales. You always have been, but you do have this new glow to you. This whole motherhood thing works for you." Stephanie said sweetly.

"Thank you, Stephanie." Haley responded. The two girls continued talking until Nathan came back out from the meeting. They said their goodbyes before Nathan and Haley left. They headed straight to Nathan's old house to see Deb. They walked up to the bedroom. "Hi, mom. There's someone Haley and I would like you to meet. Mom, this is your grandchild,  
Alexia Penelope Scott. Lexie, this is your Grandma Deb." Nathan introduced. They talked to his mom for about an hour when Nathan turned and noticed both Haley and Lexie asleep on the chair. He gently took ahold of Lexie and placed her in her carseat. He then swooped Haley into his arms and took her into his old bedroom placing her down onto the bed. "Sleep tight, Hales." He said kissing her softly on her forehead. He went back into his mom's room, picked up Lexie, and walked into his old bedroom. He layed down on the bed placing Lexie in the middle of him and Haley. He wasn't tired. He just watched Haley cuddled next to Lexie. He smiled at the sight. He was going back and forth about whether or not to tell Haley how he felt about her. He didn't think she felt the same way, but what if? What if by some chance she did feel something for him? He tried pushing his feelings aside. But ever since Lexie was born, he only loves her more.

* * *

"Haley James Scott! How are you doing, sweetie?" Karen asked embracing the girl in a hug after she entered the cafe.

"I'm good. You?" Haley asked.

"Wonderful. Are you here to eat or chat?" Karen asked.

"To chat. You're not busy, are you?" Haley responded.

"No, it's kind of a slow day. Come on, sit down." Karen said as she led Haley to a vacant booth. Karen sat down as Haley put Lexie's carseat into the opposite side before sliding in herself. "So, how have things been going with the cafe and the dealership?" Haley asked.

"Great. Business is good, but I have an idea that can make it better. I was thinking of remodeling a little bit making the cafe have a more modern and contemporary look. And I was also thinking of starting a small little open mic night. Most of my workers are teenagers in high school. I always here them complainging about what to do on the weekends. I figured some of them might enjoy something like this." Karen answered.

"I think that's a great idea, Karen. I always loved working here, and I think the teenagers would love something like this-being able to showcase their hidden talents." Haley said.

"Well, you always were my favorite worker." Karen stated as the two girls smiled. The two ordered some food and continued eating and talking for the next hour. "Well, I guess I better go so you can get back to work." Haley said.

"Okay, I suppose you're right. Hey, Lucas and Brooke are coming over for dinner tomorrow night. You and Nathan should bring Lexie and come over as well." Karen invited.

"Maybe we will. Thanks, Karen." Haley said. They said their goodbyes before Karen walked away towards the back. "You ready to go home, sweetie?" Haley said to Lexie who was snuggled into her shoulder. She pulled the carseat out of the booth and placed it on top of the table.

"Well, well, look who it is." A voice sounded causing Haley to turn around. She instantly tensed when she saw Rachel standing behind her. "What do you want, Rachel?" She asked as she focused her attention back to the carseat.

"Nothing, really. I just saw you standing here and decided to come over and say hi. So, is this your daughter?" Rachel said as Haley ignored her and placed Lexie into the carseat fastening it up. "She's cute. She looks like Nathan which is a very good thing. Who knows what she would look like if she got your looks." Rachel said rudely.

"Well, it was so nice to see you, Rachel. But I'm in kind of a hurry, so if you'll excuse me." Haley said stepping around her to leave.

"Going to the gym?" Rachel said causing her to stop and turn back to her. "What?" Haley asked confused.

"I asked if you were going to the gym. I mean, clearly that's the next stop you should make. You still have all of that extra baby weight, and it doesn't suite you. That must be very attractive to look at for Nathan." Rachel said smugly knowing her words had affected her. She sent her a smirk before leaving the cafe. Haley watched her go and all of her self-confidence was quickly fading away. She picked up the carseat. "Come on, Lexie, let's go home." She said leaving the cafe.

* * *

The next two months flew by pretty quickly. Tonight was the first night Nathan and Haley were going out without Lexie. Keith and Karen were going to watch her until the next morning while they went out to Tric with Lucas and Brooke. Brooke had just found out she wasn't pregnant after thinking she was and said she needed a night out. Nathan was downstairs waiting for Haley to finish getting ready. He was in need of a night out without the baby. He looked up when he heard footsteps coming into the room. He froze when he saw Haley. She was wearing a teal blue halter top shirt which showed off a nice amount of her cleavage. Her breasts were slightly bigger due to her breast milk. She had worked off the rest of the baby weight which really wasn't bad anyway. She still looked amazing before tonight. She had the top paired with a dark denim mini skirt which showed off her shapely legs. She had heels on making her legs look longer. He couldn't help his eyes from traveling up and down her body before moving back up. "Wow, you look...you look..."

"Well, I hope the ends to these sentences are good." She said.

"No, they are. You look amazing." He said.

"Thank you." She said while blushing.

"Umm, we should get going." He said quietly as she nodded. He led her out of the house to his SUV. They made the ten minute drive over to Tric. They walked in and quickly spotted Lucas and Brooke and went over to them. "Hey, you guys finally made it!" Brooke exclaimed embracing Haley in a hug. "You look great, Hales." She said.

"Thanks, so do you." Haley responded. "So, when is the band going to start?" She asked.

"Should be in about five minutes." Lucas answered. The four of them went to the bar and ordered some drinks. Haley stuck with a diet coke considering she couldn't drink any alcohol. The band began to play as they sat down at a table.

A couple hours later, the band was done and the dj reappeared playing some music. "Oh, I love this song! We are so dancing, Haley!" A slightly tipsy Brooke exclaimed dragging Haley to the dancefloor leaving behind Lucas and Nathan. "So, how does it feel to be out without the baby?" Lucas asked.

"Nice. I mean, I love Lexie to death, but it's nice to get away for awhile. I think Haley was feeling the same way. She has seemed sort of depressed these past couple of months. I mean, not in a serious way. She's still her usual happy self, but there's just something that seems off about her-like something's bothering her. I think she just needs a night out." Nathan responded.

"She looks great. I would never believe she had a baby two months ago." Lucas commented.

"Yeah, she looks amazing." Nathan said staring at Haley. It was seconds later, they decided to join the girls on the dancefloor. Nathan came up behind Haley startling her a bit when he placed his hands on her hips. "Hey, what are you doing out here?" Haley asked revelling in the feeling of him being so close behind her.

"Joining my wife for a dance." He delivered sensually into her ear. He gripped her hips pulling her closer into him as they found a steady rhythm with one another. He captured her hands in his as they continued grinding closely against one another. They both had their eyes closed feeling completely turned on by one another. The song ended switching to a slower song. Haley turned around to face Nathan as he pulled her into him. They danced the way they normally do. His arms wrapped tightly around her waist with her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. With her heels, she was able to reach slightly passed his shoulders. She rested her chin on his shoulders closing her eyes. A couple minutes passed before she felt him move to look directly into her eyes. "Haley, I need to tell you something." He said timidly.

"What is it?" She asked quietly.

"Hey, Jake and Peyton are over there sitting. Come on, let's go sit and talk with them." Brooke interrupted pulling on Haley's hands. Haley looked back to Nathan with a sympathetic expression before following her friend. Nathan let out a sigh before succeeding behind the two girls.

An hour had passed and the six of them were still sitting around the table conversing and drinking. The topic of the fashion show came up which in turn brought up the models which in turn brought up Rachel. "I can't believe that's your ex-girlfriend, Nathan. She wasn't the most pleasant person that night." Peyton commented.

"She was probably just stressed out." Nathan defended as Haley inwardly rolled her eyes. This wasn't exactly what she wanted to be talking about right now.

"No, I think she's just a bitch." Brooke declared.

"You don't even know her, Brooke. Who are you to make snap judgements about her?" Nathan asked angrily.

"I know enough about her." Brooke commented before turning her attention back to Peyton. "You should hear what that bitch said to Haley." She said. Haley immediately turned her focus to them. She definitely didn't want to be talking about this right now with Nathan right next to her. Nathan couldn't help but turn his full attention to the girls as well. He was curious as to what Rachel said to Haley.

"What did she say?" Peyton asked.

"She basically called Haley ugly saying that it was a good thing Lexie got Nathan's looks. And then she went on to basically calling her fat saying she better get to the gym fast to lose all of that baby weight." Brooke revealed as Haley closed her eyes.

"She said what?" Nathan asked with a slight edge to his voice.

"Oh, don't worry, Nathan, she was probably just stressed out." Brooke commented sarcastically.

"Did she really say that to you?" Nathan asked Haley ignoring Brooke's snide comment.

"It wasn't a big deal." Haley brushed away. She wanted to be angry with Brooke right now but couldn't. She knew she a little drunk and going through some emotional stuff with trying to get pregnant. But boy did she want to yell at her right now.

"It is a big deal. Did she really say that to you?" He asked again.

"Yeah, she did." She relented. "But, it really isn't a big deal. I didn't even take it to heart." She continued.

"Really? Then why have you been eating healthier and working out more? You told me it was because you wanted to get back to your old self, but it was because she said that to you, wasn't it?" He countered.

"No, it had nothing to do with her." She said.

"Haley..."

"Just drop it, Nathan!" Haley yelled causing an uncomfortable tension to surround the table. "So, how is the writing coming along with your book, Lucas." Jake asked changing the subject.

"It's coming along very well. I found a publisher who has overlooked it and was interested in publishing it. She sent it back to me with some corrections and provisions. I'm in the process of editing them now. So, hopefully, it will be completely finished at the beginning of the next month." Lucas answered.

"That's awesome, Lucas. I'm so proud of you." Haley voiced sincerely as the others did the same.

"Well, it's getting late. Maybe we should head out. Do you guys have to go pick up Lexie from Keith and Karen's?" Peyton asked while they all stood up.

"No, they're going to keep her for the night. I'm going to pick her up tomorrow afternoon." Haley answered. They all said their goodbyes to one another and left. The drive back home was silent for Nathan and Haley. Neither said a word. They arrived home and quickly went inside the house. Haley walked straight into her room into the bathroom to get ready for bed as Nathan did the same. Ten minutes later, Nathan found himself laying in bed thinking about what was said tonight. He couldn't believe Rachel would say something like that to Haley. He was angry and confused. All he knew what that he needed to find out the truth and confront Rachel personally.

* * *

Rachel stepped out of the elevator making her way to Nathan's office. She was so excited. The previous night, she received a text message from Nathan claiming he needed to talk to her and asked her to meet him at his office. She noticed Stephanie glaring at her from her desk. "Is Nathan in?" Rachel asked.

"Yup, he told me to tell you to go ahead and go on in whenever you arrived." Stephanie answered coldly.

"Thank you." Rachel said sarcastically before proceeding into the office. She walked in and noticed Nathan sitting behind his desk. He looked up when he heard the door opening. "Hi, Nathan. I was hoping you would get in touch with me. It's been far too long since we've talked or seen one another." She said excitedly.

"Look, Rachel, this isn't a social gathering. I didn't call you here to hang out with you like old times. I need to ask you something. And I want you to be completely honest with me." He announced.

"Okay, what is it?" She asked confused by his distant attitude.

"Did you tell Haley that she was fat and needed to get to the gym." He asked.

"What? No, of course not. I would never say that. Did she tell you I said that?" She asked.

"No, but Brooke mentioned it. The only way Brooke would know is if Haley mentioned it to her. I asked Haley, and she said it wasn't a big deal. Did you say that to her, Rachel?" He asked again.

"I didn't mean it like that. Haley must have taken it the wrong way. I heard her telling Karen about how she hated the way she looked right now. After they were done talking, I approached Haley. I told her that there's this great gym in town that she could go to if she wanted to get in better shape. I didn't mean it as an insult. I was just trying to help her. I thought she would appreciate it. I feel terrible if she took it the wrong way. Should I call her and apologize to her?" She lied faking sympathy.

"No, I'll tell her you didn't mean it like that. I don't think it was her who got so worked up about it anyway. I think it was more Brooke. Haley said it wasn't a big deal. I should have listened to her. Look, I'm sorry I accused you of saying that. I know you wouldn't say anything so hurtful. Brooke just seemed really angry about it. She and Haley get so protective over one another. It all seems like a big misunderstanding. I'll get everything sorted out." He said.

"Thanks, Nathan. I can always count on you to look out for me." Rachel smirked.

* * *

"Hey, Haley, I'm home." Nathan greeted walking into the family room finding Haley and Lexie playing on the floor. "She seems in a good mood." He commented about Lexie.

"Yeah, thank goodness. She's in a great mood. She's happy and all full of smiles." Haley answered. "How was work?" I didn't even know you were going into the office today." She asked.

"Oh, I just had to pick up some things I left in the office." He lied.

"Okay." She said before going back to playing with Lexie.

"Hey, Haley, I want to ask you something." He said after a couple minutes.

"What's up?" She asked distractedly.

"I was wanting to invite Rachel over to dinner with us tomorrow night." He revealed capturing her full attention. "I'm sorry, you want to what?" She asked.

"She's a good friend of mine, Haley. And I think she feels a little depressed. I mean, she's in a city where she knows no one but me. And I've been so busy with you and with Lexie, we haven't really had the chance to talk or hang out like we used to." He said.

"Well, if she's depressed maybe she should go back to New York. You know, where she actually lives. If you think about it, why is she even still here? You should ask yourself what's keeping her here, Nathan." She said as he looked to her confused. "Oh by the way, the answer to her coming over to dinner is no." She continued.

"What?" He asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I mean hell no." She said.

"What is wrong with you, Haley?" He asked angrily.

"Look, Nathan, I don't care if you want to go out to dinner with her. But if that bitch comes anywhere near my house, I'm calling the cops. And don't even try suggesting all of us going out to dinner then, because the answer is still no. I don't want her around me, and I don't want her around my daughter." She declared.

"Is this about what Brooke said at Tric? Look, Haley, I talked to Rachel about that and she told me it was all just a big misunderstanding. You and Brooke just took it the wrong way." He said causing Haley's anger to only increase. She picked up Lexie and started walking out of the room. "Where are you going?" He asked.

"I'm going upstairs, because I don't want to be around you right now. But I will leave you with this, Nathan. If you invite that girl to my house, you will be sorry." She warned before disappearing from his sight. Nathan watched her go completely confused and put off by her behavior. He didn't understand why she was acting so hostile towards Rachel. He didn't know what to believe anymore, but he did want to get to the bottom of everything.

**Okay, there you guys go. I decided to post this earlier. I couldn't sleep last night and just started writing. I had someone inquire about my other story, and I decided to try to focus my attention to that story tonight. I think I might have some inspiration for it. If I do get a chapter done, it probably won't be posted till tomorrow though. Anyway, let me know what you think. And I know it's getting frustrating with Naley not admitting their feelings for one another, but it is coming soon. I promise it won't be too much longer. I'll maybe have a chapter up tomorrow night or sometime on Tuesday. Until then!**


	15. Chapter 15

**First off, I have to say-GO PACKERS! Anyway, here's another update. Enjoy!**

It's been a couple more months since Nathan and Haley's night out at Tric. Things have been okay but awkward at the same time ever since their mini arguement about Rachel. Nathan respected Haley's request not to bring Rachel over to the house. He still didn't understand why she was so upset over the whole situation. He and Rachel have been going out every so often. He hasn't been going out with her all of the time like before-just about once a week they would go out. Things between them have been a little awkward as well ever since Rachel admitted she was still in love with him. But the first time they got together after Lexie was born, Rachel apologized and said she didn't mean to cause a strain on their friendship. She said she can deal with not being with him, just as long as they can still be friends.

"So, how's your mom doing?" Rachel asked as she and Nathan were currently at the cafe eating lunch.

"The same. There hasn't been any change. Haley and I are giving it about a year before we make any decisions. If there has been no change in her condition then, we're going to decide what to do." Nathan responded.

"Is there even a chance she'll wake up?" She asked.

"There's always a chance, Rachel." He said.

"Personally, I think you should just give up now. And I'm not saying this to upset you or anything. I just don't see the point of hanging on. There's no movement and no change. She's just lying there in this big old house." She said.

"Well, I'm not ready to deal with all of that. Haley and I agreed to wait for at least another year. By then it would be three years making it a persistant coma meaning the possibility of waking up is almost nonexistent. I'm holding out until then. I don't want to take the chance of her waking up. It could still happen." He explained.

"So, do you get the house and everything else if and when she passes away?" She asked randomly.

"What?" He asked.

"I just mean, what's going to happen to your parent's estate and fortune when they're both gone? Do you get ownership of everything like the company?" She asked.

"Yeah. I haven't really thought about any of that stuff. I guess Haley and I both do." He answered. He was looking down and didn't notice the eye roll from her.

"Well, maybe until after you two get divorced." She said.

"Rachel, we've been over this. I don't want to talk about it anymore, okay?" He said exasperated.

"I know. I just don't think you should keep hoping for anything to happen between the two of you. You're wasting your time, Nathan. It's never going to go any further than where the two of you stand right now." She stated.

"I almost told her how I felt." He admitted causing her to choke on her drink. "You okay?" He asked.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine-went down the wrong pipe." She covered. "When?" She asked.

"A couple months ago when we were out at Tric. We were dancing, and I just felt this wave of emotion pass over me. I felt like I needed to tell her, but then Brooke interrupted us. It's a good thing she did, though. Now that I think about it, Tric probably wasn't the best or most romantic place to tell her how I feel." He said.

"I don't think you should tell her, Nathan. You're only going to get hurt. Why put yourself through that? If you want, I can talk to her for you. Try to get any kind of hint about how she feels." She suggested.

"No, I don't think that would be a good idea. If she does feel anything for me, I want to hear it directly from her. That way, I will know for sure." He stated.

"Okay, well, just don't rush into it." She said.

"Rush into it. Rachel, we've been married for over two years, and we have a baby together. I really don't think we would be rushing into anything." He laughed.

"You know what I mean. Anyway, what are your plans for the fourth of July. I have this beach house, and I am thinking of having a barbeque. I don't know a lot of people, and I was hoping you could come. And maybe spread the word and invite other people as well. All of Haley's friends can come. It'll be a lot of fun." She said changing the subject.

"Yeah, that does sound like fun, but I can't. I mean, I'll certainly help you invite some people, but I can't come myself. Haley and I are taking Lexie to Florida for the whole weekend. We found a hotel right along the beach, and they shoot off an amazing firework display. We're really excited about this. Haley's been planning everything and buying Lexie a ton of new summer clothes. I'm really excited for this myself. I mean, just me, Haley, and Lexie together-like a family. I really can't wait." He said.

"Wow. Well, umm...well, have fun." She stammered out trying to hide her anger.

* * *

Across town, Brooke and Haley were shopping at the mall. "What are we shopping for today?" Brooke asked.

"Nathan and I are taking Lexie to Florida for the fourth of July." Haley answered.

"Ooh, that sounds like fun. What part of Florida are you going to?" Brooke asked.

"Key West. I was searching places online and found this amazing hotel along the beach. And apparently, they have this awesome firework display. So, we agreed to this destination. And considering July is in a couple of weeks, I think it's time for some new summer clothes. I already bought Lexie a ton of stuff. However, that won't stop me from buying more if I see anything too adorable to pass up. But I realized I don't really have anything for myself. My body has changed a bit since having Lexie. Things don't fit quite the same." Haley said.

"No kidding, you're boobs are huge. I bet Nathan loves that." Brooke commented.

"I don't know about that. But even if he does, it doesn't matter. He doesn't get to benefit from their growth anyway." Haley stated.

"Seriously? It's been four months, and you guys haven't done anything?" Brooke asked in disbelief as Haley shook her head. "Nothing-no sex, no kissing, no touching?" She continued.

"Nope. The closest thing we came to any of that was that night at Tric when we were dancing." Haley said.

"Yeah, that's why I thought you guys were getting it on again. Don't think I didn't see you two out on that dancefloor. You were practically having sex out there." Brooke said as Haley lightly shoved her. "We were not." She said laughing.

"Umm, yeah, you kind of were." Brooke said. "But anyway, I will find you some sexy beachwear that will have Nathan drooling. He may not get to touch, but he can look. And boy, is he going to flip when he sees you in what I have in mind. He will probably be taking a lot of cold showers while you're down there." She continued.

"Whatever, Brooke. But will you please keep in mind that our daughter will be with us on this trip." Haley said.

"Of course, but she has to sleep sometime." Brooke commented as they walked into another store.

* * *

Three hours later, Haley returned home. She walked into the house and found Nathan in the family room going over some paperwork. "Hey, did you have fun?" He asked looking up.

"Yes, I did." She answered.

"I thought you went shopping. Where is your stuff?" He asked confused.

"I needed to bring Lexie in first." She answered setting down the carseat and unfastening Lexie from it before handing her over to Nathan. "Uh oh, that means you bought a lot, didn't you?" He asked laughing.

"No." She scoffed as he kinked his eyebrow at her skeptically. "Okay, I did kind of go on a shopping spree of sorts. But it really was stuff that I desperately needed." She stated.

"Personally, I'm glad you did. Ever since you found out you were pregnant with Lexie, you haven't really bought anything for yourself. And new maternity clothes don't count. Those were necessities. You needed to do some shopping for you." He stated as she smiled at him.

"I maybe, sort of, bought some more stuff for Lexie, too." She admitted.

"Haley James!" He exclaimed.

"And you, too." She said as he shook his head in disbelief. "What? I couldn't help it. And as a mother, I am allowed to buy whatever the heck I want for my daughter. And the stuff I got for you is for Florida. You don't really have much of anything but suits and dress clothes and workout type clothes. You needed some stuff for the beach and sightseeing." She defended herself.

"Fine. Go get your stuff and show me what you got." He caved in. She let out an excited squeel before running out of the family room. A few minutes later, she returned with both arms full of bags. "Geez, did you buy out the whole mall?" He joked.

"You're hilarious. Has anyone ever told you that?" She deadpanned. After about thirty minutes, Haley was finished showing him everything. Nathan actually liked the stuff she bought for him which Haley gloated about. "I think you did good-especially that bikini you picked out." He smirked.

"Brooke picked that out-big surprise." She said.

"It doesn't really matter who picked it out. As long as you'll be wearing it." He stated causing her to blush slightly. "Have you told the employees that we're giving them the weekend off paid?" She asked changing the subject. When they first discussed going away for the weekend, they wanted to give their associates the weekend off as well. They knew how hard they've been working and how well they transitioned from the new ownership these passed couple years, and they wanted to show their appreciation.

"Yes, they were all very grateful. And it's showing through their work. It's as if they feel like they should work extra hard for the next couple of weeks to compensate for their paid time off." He answered.

"Good. I want everyone to have a fun, relaxing holiday weekend." She responded sitting down next to him on the couch. She took Lexie out of his arms and layed down on the couch plopping her feet up onto his lap. She bounced Lexie up and down above her causing her to giggle. After a few rounds of that, she brought her back down to sit on her stomach. "Hey, Lexie, you want to see something that mommy loves." He said as Haley looked at him confused. Just then, he started tickeling her feet. "Stop it, Nathan." She said squirming slightly. She leaned forward pulling her legs off of him and turning Lexie around to face Nathan. "Let's get daddy. Come on, Lexie, let's get daddy." She said lightly shoving Lexie into his chest as she strattled his legs while she "and Lexie" tickled him on his sides. After a couple seconds, he caved in and called a truce. Haley stayed sitting on his legs as Nathan held Lexie to his chest with his right hand as his left hand was resting against Haley's thigh. "I think we wore her out." He commented about Lexie.

"That was my plan. I'm going to get some good sleep tonight." She responded.

"I'll get up with her tonight." He said.

"It doesn't really matter. I hear her crying and instantly want to go to her. I know I need to break out of that habit. Everyone tells me that sometimes you just have to let babies cry, but my heart breaks everytime I hear that sound come out of her tiny, little mouth." She said.

"I know. I have a hard time with it, too. She'll eventually find a more routine pattern. It may be several weeks or months, but it will happen. You hear people say that a baby changes your whole life, but you never know how much until you experience it yourself. I wouldn't trade it for anything, though." He said.

"Did you ever think we'd be here like this? I mean, not necessarily with each other, but just the whole having a baby. I knew I always wanted this and dreamed of it, but it still seems so sureel." She stated.

"I didn't think I would be here, but you-definitely. You were born to be a mother, Hales. I always thought that. And I always pictured you with a bunch of kids running around." He said.

"I just want two. I wanted one boy and one girl." She stated. "So, are you excited for Florida?" She asked changing the subject.

"Yeah. You?" He asked.

"Of course. I'm always excited for the sun and the beach. And I'm so excited about putting Lexie in her cute little bathing suit and taking her swimming." She exclaimed.

"We're gonna have fun." He stated looking into her eyes.

"Yeah, we are." She agreed capturing his gaze.

* * *

"Nathan, come here!" Haley yelled.

"What?" He asked walking out of the bathroom in a bit of a panic.

"Look how cute Lexie looks with her little bathing suit!" She exclaimed. They arrived in Florida a little earlier that day. They decided to drive rather than fly considering everything they had to bring because of Lexie. It was Friday, and they were there until Sunday. Saturday night was when the fireworks were going to be shot off. Today, they had just finished unpacking and were now getting ready to go to the beach for the first time. Haley had Lexie dressed in this adorable red/black/white flowery swimsuit. "She looks so precious." She gushed while snapping pictures of her. Nathan couldn't help but chuckle at his wife. "She does look adorable. But what do you expect when she has the two of us as her parents. She's bound to be one cute kid." He stated.

"That's true." She agreed as they laughed.

"Come on, Hales, let's go. You can take a dozen more pictures down at the beach." He stated picking up her beach bag off of the floor. She finally relented and began fastening Lexie in her carseat. Minutes later they were ready and left their hotel room.

An hour later, they were all still having a great time. They took Lexie swimming in the ocean for the first time. She loved it. She was all smiles and giggles the whole time. After some time in the water, they went back up to their spot in the sand and let her play around with some of her toys. "Hey, could you stay here with Lexie? I need to go to the bathroom." Haley began.

"Sure thing." Nathan answered.

"Do you want me to bring you back something to drink?" She asked standing up.

"Sure, just a water is fine." He answered as she nodded and walked away. He couldn't help but watch her retreating form. She was wearing an amazing bikini which hilighted her figure. She looked so sexy and gorgeous. His mind was going full-stream with things he wanted to do to her.

A few minutes had passed and Haley still wasn't back. He got worried and decided to go find her. He picked Lexie up and started walking towards a small little bar located on the shore. That's when he saw her. She was standing at the bar talking-more like flirting-with some wannabe abercrombie model. He was angry and felt something turn in the pit of his stomach. He made his way over to her. He watched as the guy placed his hand on her shoulder and then said something causing her to laugh. His anger only grew, and he quickened his pace until he was standing right next to her. "Hey, Hales." He greeted with a slight edge to his voice. She turned her head and noticed Nathan and Lexie beside. "Hey." She greeted. "Adam, this is..."

"I'm Nathan-Haley's husband." Nathan interrupted sticking out his hand for the guy to shake.

"Hi, I'm Adam." The guy greeted shaking Nathan's hand.

"And this is our daughter, Lexie." Nathan continued pointing towards the baby.

"Yeah, Haley was just tell..." Adam began.

"That's great. Haley, we have to go." Nathan interrupted again turning to face Haley. She looked at him confused and put-off by his cold attitude. "What's going on? Why do we have to go?" She asked.

"We just do. Let's go." He declared taking ahold of her as he began to drag her away.

"Bye Adam. It was nice meeting you and thank you again." She called over her shoulder. He dragged her back to their spot on the beach. Haley immediately started gathering their stuff together. "What are you doing, Haley?" Nathan asked confused.

"It's getting late. We should head back to the hotel." She said without looking at him.

"It's not late. Come on, Hales. Let's stay out here a little longer." He suggested. She threw her beach bag over her shoulder reaching up and taking Lexie out of his arms. "Let's go. Grab the carseat for me please." She said before walking away. He watched her retreating form and sighed before picking up the carseat and following her. They arrived back at the hotel a few minutes later. Haley never said a word to him the whole way back. And it was same when they walked into the room. "Are you okay, Hales?" He asked.

"Yup, I'm great. I'm going to go give Lexie a bath." She stated walking into the bathroom and shutting the door behind her. A half hour later she came back out, searched through the drawers for an outfit for Lexie, and sat down on the bed next to Nathan. She finished drying Lexie off and dressing her. Soon, she began to play with her on the bed. "What's wrong, Haley?" Nathan asked again trying to figure out why he was getting the silent treatment.

"Nothing's wrong." She dismissed.

"Something's wrong. Ever since we left the beach, you've been quiet." He stated.

"I don't want to talk about it right now, Nathan." She said.

"Fine." He retorted and flipped on the television. A couple hours later, he looked over and saw both Haley and Lexie fast asleep. He gently picked Lexie up while standing up and walking her over to the bassinet and placing her in it. He found some clothes and went to take a shower. Fifteen minutes later, he walked out of the bathroom ready to go to sleep. He climbed into the bed on the opposite side of Haley. He was just about to cuddle up behind her when he realized that probably wouldn't be the greatest idea. He sighed and closed his eyes. "You're a jerk." He heard Haley say and snapped his eyes open. "What?" He asked confused.

"You're a jerk. You were a real jackass today, you know that." She continued.

"When?" He asked.

"When we were talking to Adam." She answered. He rolled his eyes at the mention of the guy's name. He definitely didn't want to be thinking about that guy who was basically hitting on his wife. "Whatever." He mumbled closing his eyes again.

"Whatever? That's all you have to say to defend yourself-whatever." She said incredulously while turning around slightly to face him.

"What do you want me to say, Haley?" He asked with his eyes still closed.

"I want you to tell my why you were such a jerk today. Adam did nothing to you. He was nice and civil, and you come over with this whole jackass demeanor. What the hell was wrong with you?" She asked.

"It was nothing. Let it go." He said.

"No. I want to know what your problem was." She declared. He said nothing. "Nathan!" She exclaimed in a whisper trying not to wake Lexie.

"He was flirting with you, okay!" He yelled catching her off gaurd.

"What?" She asked.

"He was flirting with you and touching you. You're married to me in case you forgot." He said sarcastically.

"Nathan, he wasn't flirting with me. I told him all about you and Lexie. He was telling me about this fun little water park we could take Lexie to." She explained and smiled as he suddenly got quiet and looked away from her. "Whatever." She heard him mumble.

"You were jealous." She smirked.

"No, I wasn't." He scoffed.

"Yeah, you were. It's kind of cute." She commented.

"I wasn't jealous." He denied.

"Whatever." She mimicked his previous words and smiled before turning back around to face the opposite direction. It was a second later, she heard him move on the bed and felt his hand go under the blankets and rest against her stomach. She shivered as he drew patterns along her bare skin. She felt his hot breath against her ear. "You're right. I was jealous. You are my wife and the mother of my child. I can't bare the thought of another man touching you or kissing you or making you scream his name the way I can." He said sensually moving down to place light kisses along her neck. He smirked as she moaned his name almost inaudibly. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. He sucked harder on her skin determined to leave his mark on her. "Nathan, we can't do this." She stated with hesitation which didn't go unnoticed by him.

"Why? We're married. We're not with anyone else. We both want it. I want you, Haley. I want you so bad." He declared huskily against her skin.

"I know, but we still can..." Her sentence came to an abrupt stop when she felt his hand reach into her shorts as he started softly stroking her. She subconciously brought her hand to the back of his neck as her breaths quickened. "But Lexie. She, she's over...she, she might wake up." She stammered out enjoying the sensations he was creating within her.

"I guess we'll just have to be quiet, then." He said.

"Screw it." She said and turned capturing him in a kiss. It was seconds later she felt him hooking his fingers into the sides of her shorts and panties. He pulled back and glided them down and off her body. He shed out of his own shorts as she lifted herself slightly and removed her tank top. They quickly resumed their kiss falling back to the bed. Without any hesitation, he pushed himself into her causing them both to let out a quiet moan of relief. It's been too long since they've been together in this way. "This doesn't change anything between us." She breathed out.

"I know." He responded and quickened his pace. He felt her wrap her legs his waist tightly meeting him thrust for thrust. He leaned in and kissed her. It was an intense kiss filled with passion and longing. He broke apart and leaned down to lay kisses along her neck once again as she threw her head back in pleasure. She had to bite down on her lower lip to keep from moaning out loud. She knew she was close. "God, I'm so close, Nathan." She whispered.

"I know, me too. Almost baby. We're almost there." He said. It was seconds later he felt her body shudder underneath him and his lips enveloped hers in a kiss to contain her moans as they both felt their orgasms rush through their bodies. He slowed his pace without breaking their kiss as they waited for the bodies to calm down. After a minute, he broke their kiss and he slowly pulled out of her resting back onto his side of the bed. "That was amazing." He heard her mumble.

"I know." He agreed. "Come here." He ordered soflty stretching out his arm above him as she moved to cuddle into his side. He closed his eyes as he felt her soflty plant kisses along his chest. Even after such an intense orgasm, he felt himself getting hard again from the soft touch of her lips. "You better be careful there, Hales. I don't know if I'll be able to hold off." He whispered. His eyes snapped open as he felt her climb on top of him. He looked up to her and smiled as she skirked down to him. He watched as she leaned forward till she was right to the side of his ear. "Who says I want you to?" She says seductively before capturing his lips once again.

* * *

It was now Saturday night-July fourth. The beach was crowded with people waiting for the firework display. Nathan and Haley found a perfect spot in the sand and got settled together. The show was about to start. They placed some mini earpieces in Lexie's ears to diminish the booming sounds of the fireworkds. Nathan leaned back agains a large rock as Haley leaned back into him with Lexie in her arms. It was a nice night with just a slight cool breeze because of the ocean. The three of them were cuddled under a blanket. The fireworks began shortly later as bright lights illuminated the sky. There were so many colors and kinds. They watched as Lexie watched in amazement. She was smiling and giggling. "I think she likes them." Haley said stating the obvious. "They are beautiful." She continued.

"You're beautiful." Nathan commented causing her to turn her face to look at him. Once their eyes met, he leaned forward and captured her in a sweet kiss. They broke apart a couple seconds later and stared at one another. "Happy fourth of July, Hales." He said.

"Happy fourth of July, Nathan." She repeated as they smiled at one another one more time before refocussing their attention back to the fireworks and Lexie.

**Okay, there you go. I think it's about time for Nathan to feel a little jealousy. Besides, a jealous Nathan is always a hot one. Anyway, again thanks for your awesome reviews. Let me know what you guys think. I hope to have another chapter up tomorrow night. But I do have to work today and tomorrow. And I'm still working on a long chapter of Never Forgotten and want to get that up as soon as I can. So, hopefully tomorrow night, but if not, definitely on Thursday. Until then.**


	16. Chapter 16

"We need to do this more often." Brooke stated as she and Haley were currently at a day spa receiving massages.

"I know. It's very relaxing." Haley agreed.

"You know I love Lexie, but it's nice hanging out just the two of us again. It's been a long time since that's happened." Brooke said.

"I know. And it is nice to get away from the baby for a little bit." Haley said.

"I never did ask you how Florida was?" Brooke asked.

"Wonderful. Lexie loved the water and the fireworks. She was just so precious. Oh, and I have a ton of pictures to show you!" Haley exclaimed.

"Sounds like you guys had fun." Brooke stated.

"We did." Haley responded.

"So, how many times did you and Nathan have sex?" Brooke asked a few seconds later.

"What? We didn't have sex." Haley lied.

"Oh, Hales, you're a horrible liar, you know that. You have that same glow to your face you had before Lexie was born. So, how many times did you and Nathan have sex?" Brooke asked again.

"Just three. Twice on Friday night and once on Saturday night." Haley relented.

"That's all. Wow, I thought it would be more than that." Brooke commented.

"Well, it's kind of hard with a baby right in the same room with us. We wore her out throughout the day causing her to sleep all through the night. It was awesome." Haley stated.

"I bet it was." Brooke smirked causing Haley to laugh. "That's not what I meant. I mean, yeah, that part was amazing, but it was wonderful to have her sleep through the whole night for two straight days. After we were done, we were able to sleep nonstop until about nine the next morning. That was amazing just by itself." Haley explained.

"So, you guys have been home for about a week. Are you still sleeping together?" Brooke asked.

"Actually, we haven't slept together since Florida." Haley answered.

"Really? Not once?" Brooke asked surprised.

"Nope. We've both been kind of busy and really tired this week. The past couple nights, we literally slept in the same bed, but nothing sexual happened. We spent those nights talking and just cuddling with one another. It was nice-really nice." Haley responded.

"Are you ever going to tell him how you feel?" Brooke asked.

"I don't know, Brooke. Some days, I really want to. Other days, I can't bring myself to do it. I just, I don't know how he feels. If he feels the same way or if he doesn't. Like for example-the first night we slept together in Florida, what he said makes me think he does. He was jealous of this guy I was talking to on the beach. He admitted it, and then proceeded to tell me he doesn't want to think about any other guy even touching me. But then, we get back to reality, and I don't think he does. You want to know who the first person he talked to when we got back was-Rachel. Okay, she did call him not the other way around. And I was in the room and there was no indication of anything going on between them or anything like that. It just sounded like two friends talking to one another. But why does he have to talk to her? Why does he have to hang out with her? And why the hell is she still here? She wants Nathan, that's obvious. I just, I want her gone. I want her out of my life." Haley said.

"I'm sorry, sweetie." Brooke said sympathetically.

"Oh, I never told you this. So, he 'confronted' Rachel about calling me fat and stuff, and she told him that you and I both misinterpereted her words. And guess what? He freaken believed her. Yeah, okay, I know I didn't tell him about it, and I didn't want him to know what she said, but why is he so damn gullible to her?" Haley complained.

"God, she's such a bitch. I hate her, and I'm not even the one who has to deal with her. I can't believe Nathan believed her over me." Brooke said angrily.

"I know. I was pissed. Then, he told me he wanted to invite her over to dinner." Haley said.

"What? You didn't say yes, did you?" Brooke asked.

"No, I said hell no. And then I told him that if she ever came near my house, I would call the cops." Haley said.

"Good. She needs to stay the hell away from you and Lexie. And Nathan for that matter." Brooke said.

"I think you should bitch-slap that manipulative whore, and then bitch-slap your husband for being so damn naive." A voice said causing both Brooke and Haley look up. They laughed when they saw the voice belonged to the guy massaging Haley. "I'm sorry, sweetie, but that's what I would do if my boyfriend pulled that crap on me. I would bitch-slap him so hard, he'd think twice before ever believing some two-bit hooker over me. And I would also lay a huge guilt-trip on him for spending even a second of his time with her-or him in my case." He said causing the girls to laugh. "And I don't mean to pry...okay, maybe I do..." He began.

"I like him. He's like the male version of me." Brooke said as she and him winked at one another. "Anyway, I think you should tell your husband how you feel. I don't know the specifics of your marriage or anything, but I think you should tell him. To me, it sounds like he feels the same way about you as you do about him. A guy doesn't just come right out and admit that he's jealous. Men are supposed to be macho and tough guys. They're not supposed to be weak and vulnerable. And if he's willing to admit feeling jealousy when it comes to you, then he's vulnerable to you. And trust me, honey, that's a good thing." He stated causing Haley to think about his words.

"Seriously. You are like my complete replica-except for the boy parts." Brooke said as the two laughed. They looked over and noticed Haley still completely absorbed in her own thoughts.

* * *

Haley returned home later that evening to a dark, empty house. She thought for sure Nathan would be home by now. He was supposed to pick up Lexie from Karen's an hour ago. She pulled out her phone and dialed his number only to become frustrated when there was no answer. She hung up and then dialed Karen's number. "Hi, Haley." She answered.

"Hi, Karen. Hey, I'm sorry to call, but did Nathan pick Lexie up today?" Haley asked.

"Yeah. He came by around five o'clock. Why?" Karen responded.

"I was just making sure. I just got home and nobody was here." Haley answered.

"Yup, he came by." Karen stated.

"Okay. Well, I'll let you go. Thanks, Karen." Haley said before they said goodbye and hung up. "Where the hell could he be?" She questioned aloud. Just then, she heard a key in the door lock. She saw Nathan walking in with Lexie as he opened the door. "Hey." He greeted.

"Hey. Where were you?" She asked nervously.

"Oh, I went by my parents house to visit with my mom for a little bit." He answered.

"Oh, that...that's good." She said. She was relieved. She honestly was thinking he was out with Rachel.

"Yeah, I wanted to see how she was doing." He said.

"Still the same?" She asked softly already knowing the answer.

"Yeah." He answered solemnly.

"I'm sorry, Nathan." She said walking closer to him.

"It's okay. I'm getting used to it. I just...it's nice to just go and sit near her." He said as she nodded in agreement. "Anyway, how was your day at the spa?" He asked changing the subject.

"Wonderful-very relaxing." She answered.

"Good. I'm glad you had a nice time." He responded.

"I did. We met this guy, and he..."

"You met a guy?" He interrupted quickly.

"Yeah. He was hilarious. And I swear, he was like Brooke's twin." She said not noticing the many emotions playing across Nathan's face. "I was his last client, and Brooke and I invited him to come out to lunch with us. He was so funny, Nathan." She continued.

"Yeah, you mentioned that." He said with a slight edge which she did notice.

"He was telling us all about his boyfriend, and he..." She said.

"His boyfriend?" He interrupted confused.

"Yup. They've been together for about six months now." She said.

"Oh, wow. Good for them." He stammered out. Haley couldn't help but smile at his jealousy once again. Nathan handed Lexie over to her. "So, are you hungry?" He asked.

"I am. I was just trying to decide what I was going to make." She answered.

"How about we just order a pizza. That way neither of us has to cook." He suggested.

"Sure. Go ahead and order whatever kind you want. I'm going to take Lexie upstairs, we're going to take a little bath together. Aren't we?" She said smiling at the little girl.

"You want some company?" He joked.

"No, I think we're good. But, you can go ahead and bring the pizza up to the bedroom when it gets here." She said walking away.

A couple hours later, Nathan and Haley were laying in the bed. Haley put Lexie to bed after their bath right before Nathan came walking up the stairs with the pizza and some drinks. They finished a few minutes ago, and now were just cuddled on the bed watching some television. Nathan turned his head and noticed Haley's eyes closed. "Haley, you awake?" He asked softly.

"Yup." She answered groggily.

"Alright, let's go to sleep." He said as they sunk further into the bed. "You know what I haven't done all week." He said leaning above her as she was lying flat on her back. "What?" She asked looking up at him. He leaned forward and kissed her gently on the lips. He was about to pull back when he felt her grab a fistfull of his t-shirt and keep him to her. He smirked as she deepened their kiss. They broke apart slightly a few seconds later. "Are you tired?" She whispered.

"Not anymore. You?" He responded.

"Not anymore." She mimicked his previous words smirking up at him before they both captured one another in a kiss. The two quickly undressed one another and just as he was about to thrust inside of her, his cell phone rang. "Just ignore it." She said.

"Let me just see who it is." He said reaching over and grabbing the phone off of the nightstand. She watched his facial features tense as he checked the caller id. "Who is it?" She asked.

"No one. It's not important." He tried dismissing it and began moving to put the phone back.

"Who is it, Nathan?" She asked again snatching the phone out of his hand right before he placed the phone on the nightstand. "Haley, it's not..."

"Are you kidding me? It's freaken eleven o'clock at night! What the hell could she possibly want to talk to you about?" She exclaimed angrily after she saw Rachel's name flashing across the screen. The phone stopped ringing.

"Look, it stopped ringing. I told you it wasn't important." He said. "Now, where were we?" He smirked leaning back down and capturing her lips again. Just as he was about to deepen their kiss, his cell phone began ringing again. "Oh my God, are you serious?" She exclaimed frustrated. Before he realized what she was doing, she picked up his cell phone. "Hello." She greeted annoyed.

"Hi, Haley. Is, umm...is Nathan there?" Rachel asked caught off gaurd by Haley answering.

"He is, but we're kind of in the middle of something. So, he can't exactly come to the phone right now. Also, in the future, don't call again after nine o'clock at night. Thanks. Bye." She said hanging up abruptly. She tossed his phone onto the nightstand and looked back over to Nathan. "What?" She spit out when she saw the amused look on his face.

"Nothing." He tried brushing it off.

"What?" She snapped.

"That was kind of hot." He commented.

"Was it now?" She smiled.

"Extremely hot." He said as they resumed their kiss. The kiss quickly turned heated and passionate, and he once again was just about to thrust into her when his cell phone began ringing. "Jesus! Just answer the damn phone! She's clearly not going to just go away like I want her to!" She exclaimed pushing him off of her as she climbed out of the bed while throwing on his shirt. "Haley." He called to her.

"No, just talk to her. It makes no difference anyway. She's always inserting herself into our lives. God, I just want her to freaken go back to New York. What the hell is she still doing here? I hate her!" She exclaimed walking out of the bedroom as Nathan sat on the bed watching her retreating form. He sighed before picking up the phone. "Hello." He greeted aggitated.

"Nathan! Oh, thank goodness you answered the phone." Rachel stated.

"Look, Rachel, now is not really a good time. Is there something you needed?" He asked.

"I'm sorry about calling so late. Are you mad at me? I hope Haley isn't too upset." She said.

"Rachel! Is there something you needed?" He yelled frustrated.

"Geez, Nathan, what is wrong with you?" She spit out.

"I don't have time for this. Is there a reason you called or not?" He asked.

"Okay. I was just wondering if you wanted to have lunch tomorrow." She said.

"Seriously? That's all you wanted." He said incredulously.

"Yeah. What's the problem now?" She asked.

"God, Rachel. Next time, just send me a text message or leave me a voicemail. And no, by the way, I can't have lunch tomorrow. I'm busy. And I'm busy right now. Goodbye." He said hanging up the phone. He climbed out of the bed and threw on his pants before making his way downstairs. Sure enough, he found Haley baking in the kitchen. "Hey." He greeted caustiously.

"Hey." She returned distantly.

"I'm sorry." He apologized.

"Why? It's not your fault. It's not like you encourage her all of the time to call whenever. It's not like you don't let her know when is the appropriate time to call or not call. It's not like you don't tell her to go back to her own life in New York and stop trying to insert herself into yours. Oh, wait...you do all those things." She huffed out.

"Do you really have that big of a problem with Rachel?" He asked.

"Nope, not at all. She's your friend, right?" She answered sarcastically.

"Haley, why are you so bothered by her?" He asked.

"God, are you just stupid or just really that naive?" She asked looking at him.

"What are you talking about?" He questioned confused.

"Nothing. Forget it." She said slamming down her mixing bowl and making her way out of the room. She stopped and turned back around. "By the way, Nathan, what Brooke said at Tric about what Rachel said to me-it was true." She revealed before walking out of the room completely leaving Nathan to process her words.

**Okay, there you go. Sorry, it's a little short. And I'm sorry about not having it up yesterday. I got stuck working a double shift at work and was exhausted by the time I got home. Anyway, nothing too exciting happened. So, let me know what you think. I'll have another chapter up soon. I do have the whole day off, and I'm going to try to work on the next chapter. I should have it up tomorrow. Until then!**


	17. Chapter 17

Nathan walked into the cafe hastily. He was tired of this whole back and forth thing he's been going through with Haley and Rachel. He wanted the truth. He wanted answers, and he was determined to get them once and for all. "Hey, Aunt Karen, are you busy? Can I talk to you for a moment?" He asked once he reached his aunt who was working behind the counter.

"Of course you can, sweetie. What's going on?" She responded.

"I need to ask you something. I don't know if you'll remember it, but I'm going to try. A little time after Lexie was born, Haley came in here to visit with you. Do you remember that?" He began.

"Yes. We sat and had lunch together." She answered.

"Okay, good. This is going to sound really strange, but did you two talk at all about how Haley was feeling about the way her body looked?" He asked. He waited for her to answer as he watched her mentally thinking back to her conversation with Haley that day. "No, we didn't. We talked about redecorating the cafe and hosting a talent night here. And we talked about Lexie and how different her life is now than before." She said.

"So, not once did anything about her weight come up?" He double-checked.

"No, she never said a word about it." She answered.

"And did you see a girl talking to Haley at all?" He asked.

"Actually, yes. I was behind the counter, and I happened to notice Haley talking to this red-headed girl. I don't know what was said, because I couldn't hear, but I don't think it was a pleasant conversation. I watched as the girl said something to Haley with kind of a 'smirk-like' expression before walking away. I remember, because it seemed to really upset Haley. I was worried and was about to ask her if everything was okay, but a customer asked me a question. While talking with the customer, I saw Haley leave the cafe with that same solemn expression." She responded. Nathan listened closely to his aunt. He knew she wouldn't lie to him. He was starting to repremend himself, though. He was beginning to think that Brooke and Haley were right all along. He still needed to confront Rachel again. But this time, he would get the truth out of her. He said goodbye to his aunt and left the cafe. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Rachel's number. He was shocked when it went to voicemail. Normally, she picks up on the first or second ring when he calls her. He tried calling her a couple more times before growing frustrated. "Where the hell could she be?"

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Haley asked angrily.

"It's nice to see you, too, Haley." Rachel said sarcastically standing right outside the house.

"Did you not hear me when I told you I would call the cops if you ever came near my property again?" Haley asked. Before she could say anything further, Rachel pushed her hard back into the door and walked into the house. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" She asked following Rachel into the house. "Get the hell out of my house!" She yelled.

"Is Nathan home?" Rachel asked.

"None of your damn business. And I'm warning you, you have two seconds to get out of my house." Haley said.

"Oh, sweetie, I'm not scared of you. What are you gonna do-hit me?" Rachel laughed.

"Don't push me." Haley warned.

"Look at that-little sweet, innocent Haley has a 'tough' side. Isn't your daughter home? You wouldn't want to do anything that would make you look like a bad person and parent. Hitting someone would look really bad." Rachel said.

"You know what, you're right." Haley said calmly. "How about the two of us just try to get to know each other? I'm going to go make sure Lexie is still asleep and get the baby monitor. Go ahead and sit down-make yourself comfortable. When I get back, we can sit down and calmly talk things out. Okay?" She continued.

"Fine. Whatever." Rachel agreed.

"I'm gonna grab me a water. Do you want anything?" Haley asked politely.

"Sure." Rachel answered as Haley nodded and walked away. "Wow, she's almost as gullible as Nathan is?" Rachel laughed after Haley was out of sight. Close to ten minutes later, Haley returned with the baby monitor and two bottles of water. She handed one over to Rachel. "Thanks. That took awhile." Rachel commented.

"Yeah, sorry. Lexie was fussing around in her sleep. Anyway, let's just sit down and get to this." Haley said as they both took a seat in the living room. "So, you probably want to know what I'm doing here." Rachel said after they were seated.

"You want Nathan. You see, unlike Nathan, I'm not stupid. I can see right through you. He may have blinders on when it comes to you, but I don't. I see the manipulative bitch that you are." Haley responded.

"Ooh, feisty, aren't we. But I guess if doesn't really matter what you think. It matters what Nathan thinks. Maybe the reason he can't see through me is because he doesn't want to. I was the love of his life, and I know that he still loves me." Rachel said.

"And what about you?" Haley asks.

"What about me?" Rachel asks confused.

"What's the real reason you want Nathan back?" Haley asks.

"Maybe because I love him." Rachel says sarcastically.

"Love him...or love his money." Haley states.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Rachel dismisses unconvincingly as Haley smiles smugly.

"Here's what I think. You claim you're still in love with him, right? But what I find funny, is how you suddenly came to this conclusion after he receives ownership of our parents' company. You just happen to find a modeling gig in Tree Hill where Nathan lives. And you're still here after all this time. Oh, and Nathan did tell me what you said about his mom. First of all, that was really sensitive of you to say that to your 'friend' who's having a hard time dealing with the fact that his mother probably won't wake up ever again. And I find it suspicious how you asked him what's going to happen with his parent's house and whole financial estate. That's something Nathan and I haven't even really discussed, and we've been married for over two years." Haley explained.

"That's because you don't care. You already have your parent's whole estate. You got everything the day they both died. They left it all to you. You're just a spoiled little rich girl living off mommy and daddy's fortune." Rachel commented.

"And that kills you, doesn't it. I'm glad you are so jealous of my life. And that's the difference between you and me. I would give up everything-the company and the money-just to have my parents back or even just Nathan's parents back. Could you say the same if the roles were reversed?" Haley questioned.

"Whatever." Rachel huffed out while rolling her eyes.

"You know what I realized? People tend to say 'whatever' when they realize they've been put in their place. It's true, too. Nathan said it when we were in Florida when I called him out on his jealousy over this guy I was talking to. But, he did admit he was jealous shortly later when he said and I quote, 'You're right. I was jealous. You are my wife and the mother of my child. I can't bare the thought of another man touching you or kissing you or making you scream his name the way I can.' And then, we proceeded to have some really hot sex-twice. We probably would have gone for more, but Lexie was in the room with us. That kind of hindered our plans a little." Haley said smugly as she watched Rachel's face. Before Rachel could respond, there was a knock at the door. "Right on time." Haley smiled standing up. "Stay put. I'll be right back." She said leaving the room as Rachel glared at her. Seconds later, she walked back into the living room followed by a police officer. "Rachel Gatina?" The officer asked.

"Yeah, that's me. What's going on?" Rachel asked confused and standing up. The officer pulled out his handcuffs. "Rachel Gatina, you are under arrest for breaking and entering and assult. You have the right to remain silent. Any..."

"What the hell are you doing? Are you serious?" She asked angrily squirming while the officer placed her hands behind her back and locked the cuffs around her wrists. "I never assulted anybody." She shot out.

"Really? Mrs. Scott said you pushed her before proceeding to enter her house after being warned to get off her property. Was that correct?" The officer said.

"You bitch." Rachel snarled out at Haley.

"In my defense, I did warn you. I'm sorry. So much for little miss sweet and innocent, right." Haley smirked. The officer led Rachel outside with Haley following. She watched as he helped Rachel get into the car before he himself climbed in and drove away.

* * *

"Hey." Nathan greeted walking into the kitchen a half hour later.

"Hey." She greeted without looking up to him.

"Listen, Hales, can we talk about last night?" He asked walking up to stand right beside her at the counter.

"What's there to talk about?" She asked.

"Come on, Hales, don't be like this. We really need to talk about Rachel." He said. And as if on cue, his cell phone began to ring. He pulled it and answered it. "Oh, hey, Rachel." He greeted nervously afraid of how Haley would react. He was confused when Haley started laughing. The truth was, she was waiting for Rachel to call Nathan. She probably needs someone to bail her out and considering she knows no one else in town. The logical thing would be for her to call Nathan. She laughed even harder as she heard Nathan's side of the conversation. It was seconds later when she watched him end his call. "You had her arrested?" He asked incredulously.

"I tried to warn her." Haley commented with a smile.

"This isn't funny, Haley. This is serious. I can't believe you would do something like this." He says angrily causing Haley to quickly change her tone. "Well, I did. I warned her that first time she came by the house that I would call the cops if she ever stepped foot on my property again. And she did. Not only that, but she forced her way into my house. I don't think so. I will not let her push me around like that. I'm not you. I'm not falling for her act. And I will not feel intimidated by her anymore." She said.

"Whatever. I'm going to head down to the police station." He said grabbing his keys.

"Nathan, I swear to God, if you pay her bail, don't come back here tonight. Go straight to your parent's house." Haley said.

"What are you gonna do, Hales? Lock me out? In case you're forgetting, I have keys to the whole house." He said walking away.

"I'm not joking, Nathan. I mean it. Don't bother coming back home." She warned right before he slammed the door shut.

* * *

"What happened, Rachel?" Nathan asked as they walked into Rachel's beach house. He paid her bail at the jail and then drove her home. The ride was silent. Rachel kept trying to talk to him, but he kept his mouth shut. He was determined to get answers. But he didn't want the answers while he was driving.

"Your wife! That little bitch had me arrested. She had me arrested, Nathan!" She yelled.

"I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about everything else, Rachel. And I want the truth. I'm tired of all the lies and stuff." He retorted.

"What are you talking about?" She asked lamely.

"Haley, Rachel! What did you say to her? Brooke was telling the truth, wasn't she? You really did say all of those things to Haley, didn't you?" He snarled.

"Nathan, I already told you that Brooke and Haley just misin..."

"I talked to my Aunt Karen today. She told me that she and Haley never once talked about how Haley was feeling about her body. She wouldn't lie to me. And the sad thing is, I never thought you would lie to me either." He interrupted her.

"Fine, you want the truth. Here it is. I did say those things to Haley." She admitted.

"How could you that, Rachel? What the hell has Haley ever done to you?" He asked angrily.

"She has you, Nathan. She has everything I want. And it's not fair. I had you first!" She responded.

"You had your chance, Rachel. In case you forgot, you were the one who ended things. I still wanted you. So, don't blame Haley for getting what you threw away. And as you have no problem pointing out, it's not like Haley and I walked into this marriage willingly. We were forced into it by our parents. So, stop making it sound like Haley stole me away from you. God, I can't believe I ever trusted you! I can't believe I believed you over my wife!" He yelled.

"Why is that, Nathan? There has to be a reason for that." She implored.

"I trusted you. Even after we broke up, we still confided in one another. I never thought you could be so manipulative." He responded.

"I think it's because you still love me. Deep down, you still love me." She said.

"I love Haley, Rachel. I've told you that." He said.

"You only think that because of Lexie. You're just confused by your feelings for her and by your feelings for me. You're just trying to dismiss your love for me, because you're still married to Haley. You're stuck in this marriage for a little more than two years, and you have to remain faithful to her." She said.

"No, Rachel, that's not the case. I love her. I love her and Lexie so much. They're my family. They're who I want. You and I were deduced to friends, and I moved on." He said.

"But I love you, Nathan." She cried.

"What else have you done?" He dismissed her declaration.

"What do you mean?" She stammered out.

"Since you've been in town. What else have you done? What did you say to Haley that first time you came by our house while she was still pregnant with Lexie? She was supposed to be resting and avoiding any stress. When I got home, she was a mess. How could you tell her we kissed? You knew her condition, and you knew how sensitive she was. I confided in you about that. She could have lost our baby, Rachel! You had no business saying anything to her at all. So, what else did you say to her, Rachel?" He asked angrily.

"Nothing." She lied as he shook his head in disbelief. "I think it's time for you to go back to New York." He said.

"What?" She asked shocked.

"You don't belong here. Your life is in New York. My life is here with Haley and Lexie. You don't belong here." He said.

"No, I'm not going back. I will stay here as long as it takes to get you back." She said.

"I can't force you to leave, but I can cut you out of my life. Don't bother ever calling me or stopping by the office or the house. And if I ever catch you anywhere near my wife or my daughter, I will be the one to call the cops next. Go back to your own life, Rachel. Stay out of mine." He warned before leaving.

* * *

Nathan arrived home later that night. After leaving Rachel's, he went for a drive. He had to clear his mind and thing about everything that has transpired over the passed couple of years. He was so angry with himself for ever trusting Rachel. How could he be so stupid and naive. Haley was right all along. He stared at the front door bracing himself to enter and face whatever Haley had to throw at him. He noticed Haley had set out a bag full of his stuff on the doorstep. He tried turning the knob to find it locked. He laughed slightly before pulling out his keys and inserting it into the lock. He tried turning it only to find it wasn't working. "What the hell?" He said frustrated. He went around to the back to try that lock. Sure enough, his key wasn't working for that one either. There was one more door he could try that went in through the laundry room. He placed his key into the lock already expecting the same results. He shook his head when that didn't work either. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed her number. It rang a couple times before she answered.

"You changed the locks?" He asked incredulously.

"I warned you. How's Rachel, by the way?" She hissed out.

"Look, Haley, I'm sorry, okay. Can you please let me in, and we can talk about this." He pleaded.

"No." She responded.

"No." He repeated in disbelief.

"I don't want to talk to you right now. And I don't want to see you right now. What I want, is a night alone with just Lexie. And maybe in the morning, if I feel like it, we can discuss things. But right now, I'm pissed off. And I'm tired. And Lexie just woke up. So, I have to let you go." She said.

"No, Haley, please don..." He stopped when he heard the dial tone. "Damn it!" He yelled frustrated. He went back around to the front, grabbed his bag off of the doorstep, and heading to his SUV. He sighed one last time before making his journey to his parent's house.

**Okay, there you go. Sorry, no happy Naley this chapter. And just a little warning, there may not be a lot of happy Naley for the next couple of chapters. So, let me know what you think. I should have another chapter for you probably tomorrow night. I have to work tonight and tomorrow, but they're shorter shifts. So, I should be able to work on it. Anyway, until then!**


	18. Chapter 18

Nathan awoke restless the next morning. He couldn't sleep a wink throughout the night. He kept tossing and turning and moving to cuddle with his wife. He hated being apart from her. Of course this isn't the first night he hasn't slept in the same bed with her, but it was the first night he slept in a different house from her since they've been married. It's one thing to sleep across the hall from her. It's a completely different thing to sleep blocks away from her. He missed her, and he missed Lexie. He couldn't help but wonder if she missed him as well.

Across town, Haley was cooking breakfast. She woke up and took a quick shower before waking and bathing Lexie. She set up a little play area for Lexie in the family room and then made her way into the kitchen. She was exhausted. She could not fall asleep for the life of her the previous night. She couldn't stop thinking about Nathan and Rachel and this whole messed up situation. She was feeling so many emotions and couldn't seem to get a handle on any of them. As angry and upset as she was with Nathan, she still missed laying next to him. And she missed him.

A couple hours later, Haley and Lexie were laying on the floor playing when she heard her cell phone ring. She picked it up off of the coffee table and saw Nathan's name flashing across the screen. She sighed before answering. "Hey." She greeted.

"Hey." He returned quietly. There was an awkward silence that plagued them before Nathan broke it. "I'm sorry. Can I come home, and we can talk about everything?" He asked timidly.

"Fine." She answered hesitantly. She heard him let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Haley." He said.

"When will you be here?" She asked.

"Umm, now." He stated. He could sense her confusion through the phone and decided to elaborate. "I'm kind of sitting in the driveway." He continued. Haley couldn't help but smile slightly at this, but she wasn't about to go easy on him right now. "Okay. The door's unlocked already. Go ahead and come in." She said. Before he could mutter out a thank you, she hung up the phone. He climbed out of his SUV and made the small journey up to the front door. He opened it and timidly walked inside. He made his way to the family room and saw Haley and Lexie on the floor. "Hey." He said quietly. He saw the tension written all over Haley's face. He then noticed the smile on Lexie's. He immediately walked over to them and picked her up. "Hey, sweetie. Daddy missed you last night." He said giving her a kiss on the cheek as she giggled. Haley's heart melted at the scene. It was almost enough to make her forget about everything that happened-almost. She watched as Lexie clung tightly to Nathan's shirt and rested her head against his chest. "Someone's happy to see me." He stated with a slight laugh.

"She missed you last night." Haley commented.

"Was she the only one?" He asked quietly. He sighed as she avoided the question and turned her gaze away from his. He looked down and noticed Lexie had fallen asleep. "She's asleep. I'm going to take her upstairs." He whispered to Haley as she nodded at him.

A few minutes later, he came back downstairs and found Haley still in the family room. She was sitting on the floor gathering all of Lexie's toys together. "She's fast asleep." He said. She didn't say anything. She just nodded and continued picking up the toys. "Haley." He said trying to capture her attention. "Haley, can you please talk to me?" He pleaded not being able to take the silent treatment any longer.

"Why? Is Rachel busy?" She shot out.

"Haley, I'm so sorry." He said.

"Aren't you tired of saying that?" She asked. "It seems like all you ever do lately is apologize. You're like a broken record, and I'm tired of hearing it." She continued.

"I know, but I'm going to say it again. I am sorry, Hales. I'm sorry for everything I have put you through with Rachel. You were right about her. I never should have trusted her or believed a word she said. I just honestly never thought she could be so manipulative. And last night, when I went to bail her out, it wasn't about helping her honestly. I had been trying to get in touch with her all day. I talked to Aunt Karen ealier in the morning about the conversation you two had the day Rachel said those things to you. I wanted to know the truth, and I knew my aunt wouldn't lie to me. By the time I came home, I had pretty much known the truth. I just wanted to confront Rachel about it all. And maybe I shouldn't have ran out of here so quickly or paid her bail, but I just wanted all of this to be over and done with. Please don't be mad at me, Hales."  
He said.

"I'm not mad, Nathan. I'm disappointed." She says.

"In me." He states.

"In a lot of things, but mostly because you were so quick to believe her. Nathan, how long have you known Rachel?" She asks.

"What does that have to do with anything?" He asks confused.

"How long have you known her?" She asks again dismissing his question.

"Since my sophomore year of college. Why?" He responds.

"So, you've known her for about six years." She says as he nods his head. "You've known me for twenty-five years." She states quietly as he finally understands where she's going with this. "And I know, we weren't exactly best buds or anything but twenty-five years, Nathan. We grew up together. We were practically family. I just...I don't understand how you could be so quick to jump to her defense. Especially after what you and I have been through together these passed couple years. I know it's not the picture perfect marriage filled with love, but we are married. We have a child together. And I know she wasn't planned, and we weren't quite ready for her yet, but she wasn't just a product of a one night stand, though, either. I guess I just thought that you might talk to me about what really happened before automatically believing her. And I know that a part of that is my fault for not telling you what she really said. I kept quiet. And that's my fault. But you didn't even ask me. And you were so quick to pay her bail. You didn't even stick around long enough to discuss what was said between us or anything. You ran to her defense again-like her freaken knight and shining armor." She says.

"Haley, I didn't bail her out for her benefit. I did it for mine. I know I shouldn't have left so quickly or even bailed her out at all, but it wasn't because I wanted to help her. And I'm sorry that it seemed that way." He said.

"I'm just tired of this, Nathan. I'm tired of Rachel constantly inserting herself into my life. I didn't sign up for this. When I agreed to marry you, I didn't think I'd be getting this psychotic ex along with it. I've got Lexie to consider in all of this now, too. It's not just us anymore. And sometimes, I think you forget that." She said.

"No, I don't, Hales. How could you even say that?" He asked a little angrily.

"Because you were willing to bring that bitch around our daughter. And by you hanging onto every word that came out of her mouth, you encouraged her. She knew how gullible you were to her, and she fed off of it. And you just let her. And by doing that, you let her get to me. She forced her way into our house as our daughter was asleep right upstairs. She's already crazy. Who knows what she could have done?" She said.

"I think you're being a little dramatic, Haley. I don't think she's dangerous, and I don't think she would have hurt Lexie or you for that matter." He said.

"She will do whatever it takes to get to you, Nathan. She's desperate for that money, and I don't trust her at all." She said.

"What money?" He asks confused.

"Your money, Nathan. That's what all of this is about. That's the only reason she came to Tree Hill in the first place. She heard about our parent's car accident and came here to get her hands on your family fortune." She explained.

"Who did you hear that from?" He asks skeptically.

"Rachel. She didn't come right out and say it, but I confronted her about it yesterday. She never even tried to deny anything." She revealed.

"I don't believe that." He said.

"Of course you don't. I mean, you already found out that she was lying to you all along, but because I said this you don't believe it. Should I say it to your Aunt Karen and then have her tell you, because that's what it seems to take to get you to finally see what a manipulative person your precious Rachel truly is?" She counters angrily.

"That's not..."

"Just forget it, Nathan. Don't believe me because guess what, I don't care anymore. I don't want to deal with it anymore. I just have one thing left to say about it and that's this. You keep Rachel away from me, and you keep her away from our daughter. As for you, I don't care what you do. Go spend all of your free time with her. I'm used to it by now. But if she comes even a foot of me or Lexie, I will call the cops again. And you can count on that." She warns before walking out of the family room.

* * *

Nathan walked into the bedroom half an hour later and stopped in the doorway when he saw Haley in just her bra and underwear. "Sorry, I...umm, I didn't know you were undressed." He stammered out.

"It's okay. It's nothing you haven't seen before. Lexie threw up all down my clothes." She said searching through her dresser drawer.

"Oh." He commented lamely as his eyes stayed glued to her body. He couldn't stop his eyes from traveling up and down the length of her body. He wanted her. He wanted nothing more than to walk over there, turn her around, and throw her down on that bed and have his way with her. But somehow, he didn't think she would be very receptive to that. But that also didn't mean he had to stop looking. That he couldn't do-not when she was standing right in front of him practically naked. It was almost as if she was doing it on purpose. It was torture for him. He watched as she went over to the closet. He was in such a daze he didn't hear her calling his name. "Nathan!" She yelled finally capturing his attention.

"Yeah?" He said looking at her face.

"Could you help get something down for me?" She asked. He nodded and walked into the closet. She pointed to what she wanted as he reached up and grabbed it. He turned around to hand it to her only to find himself chest to chest with her their bodies touching just slightly. "Here." He said quietly as their eyes met.

"Thank you." She mumbled just as quietly. Time seemed to stand still as they both stared into one another's eyes. After seconds which felt like hours, Haley finally made a move to leave. Right before she walked completely out of the closet, she was turned around harshly as Nathan's lips came crashing down on hers. She dropped the items in her hands wrapping her arms around his neck as he roughly pulled her into his body. He wasted no time picking her up and carrying her to the bed. He lowered them both down onto the mattress as his hands roamed all over her body while she raked her fingers through his hair. Just as he was about to unclasp her bra, he felt her hands on his chest. In a second, he was falling onto his back as she jumped off of the bed to stand up. "What's wrong?" He asked still trying to catch his breath.

"We can't do this, Nathan. We can't keep doing this. We can't just fall into bed and act as if everything is all fine. It's not. And we're not fine. This is what we always do. We fight. We have sex. It's all going great for a few days maybe weeks, and then something or more like somebody gets in the way. This has gotta stop. I can't do it anymore." She says.

"I'm sorry, Haley. I didn't mean to...I'm sorry. I just got carried away." He apologized.

"It's fine. I did, too. We just have to find some way of controlling ourselves, because we can't fall into the same pattern over and over again. I think you should move back into the guest bedroom permanantly." She says.

"Okay, if that's what you want." He says.

"It is." She confirms quietly.

* * *

A couple weeks passed by. Neither Nathan or Haley had any run-ins with Rachel. She did call Nathan for the first couple of days after their fight, but he ignored them all. He sent her a warning text message to leave him alone. After that, it was pretty quiet. He knew she was still in town, but he hadn't personally seen her. Things between him and Haley have been really tense and awkward. They basically ignored one another except when they were together with Lexie. They didn't want to fight, and they knew that's what it would lead to if they talked about anything other than Lexie. He kept himself busy at work. He would come home later in the evening. She usually had dinner ready for him. He would eat, play with Lexie, and then head to bed. That's basically become his routine, and he hated it. Coming home used to be the best, most relaxing part of his day. Because he would be with Haley and Lexie. Now, if it wasn't for Lexie being at home, he would probably sleep in his office every night.

"Hey, Nate." Lucas greeted causing Nathan to look up from his desk.

"Hey, Luke. What are you doing here?" He asked.

"No reason-just coming by to see how you're doing. I haven't seen much of you lately." Lucas said.

"Yeah, I've been busy with work." Nathan lied as Lucas took a seat on one of the chairs in front of Nathan's desk.

"Really?" Lucas said skeptically.

"Uh huh." Nathan replied lamely.

"What's going on with you and Haley?" Lucas asked.

"What are you talking about?" Nathan asked confused.

"Don't play dumb. There's something going on between the two of you." Lucas said.

"I don't kn..."

"Don't give me any of that crap, Nathan. I've known both of you my entire life, and I know when there's something wrong with either of you. While you've been 'busy with work', I've been hanging out with Haley. She's depressed. She's not the happy-go-lucky Haley that she used to be. And she's been like this for a couple months now. And you're not the same Nathan you used to be either. So, what's going on?" Lucas asked sternly.

"We've just been fighting." Nathan answered.

"You two always fight. What's different now all of a sudden?" Lucas countered.

"It just is." Nathan responded. What he really wanted to say was because now, he loves her. But he couldn't say that in front of Lucas. For some unexplainable reason, he didn't feel like baring his soul to him. He wanted to talk to someone about how he was feeling but didn't know who. Honestly, he used to talk to Rachel about this stuff. She's the only person who knows how he truly feels about Haley. She listened to him, and he thought she was doing it to be a good, supportive friend. But now he knows that she had her own agenda.

"I knew it was a bad idea when you two started sleeping together. I knew something like this was going to happen." Lucas said.

"You don't know anything that's going on, Luke." Nathan retorted.

"Then why don't you tell me. Maybe I can help whatever is going on between the two of you." Lucas said.

"You can't help us. This is what we do. We fight. It's what we've always done." Nathan said.

"Yeah, but now you've got Lexie to think about." Lucas said.

"You don't think we know that. You don't think that she's the only one we're thinking about right now. We know what our fighting is doing to her. We know that, Luke. We don't need you or Brooke or whoever else reminding us of her. We know." Nathan said angrily.

"I just want to help you-both of you. I love you guys so much, and I hate seeing you both this way." Lucas responded softly.

"I know you do, but you can't. This something that Haley and I have to talk about and deal with." Nathan said.

"And you're doing that by ignoring each other." Lucas commented sarcastically.

"Yes, because right now, we can't talk to each other. We talk and we fight. So, yes, we're ignoring each other until we can talk without it leading to a fight." Nathan said.

"Fine, deal with it how you need to deal with it. But Nathan, I'm here. I know Haley has been confiding in Brooke. I just want you to know that I'm here if you need someone to confide in." Lucas said.

"I know. And I appreciate it. I just...I can't talk to you about it right now. But thank you." Nathan said as Lucas nodded in understanding. "So, I'm kind of hungry. Do you want to go get some lunch?" Lucas asked.

"Sure." Nathan said as they both stood up and walked out of the office.

* * *

A few hours later, Nathan was still sitting in his office putting off going home. He heard the door to his office open and assumed it was Stephanie. He looked up and was surprised to see Haley. "Hey, what are you doing here?" He asked.

"I, umm, I wanted to show you something. I dropped Lexie off at Lucas and Brooke's." She answered walking further into the office. Nathan stood up and walked around his desk to meet her. "So, what do you have to show me?" He asked curiously.

"It might be stupid, and you might laugh at me. But I thought you might want to see it." She said shyly.

"Okay." He said with a slight chuckle and watched as she pulled her camera out of her purse.

"Lexie rolled over for the first time today." She revealed showing him the footage of it.

"What?" He asked amazed as he watched it.

"Yeah. I was just sitting in the living room watching tv while she was playing on the floor with her toys. I looked over to her and saw her lying flat on her back trying to roll over. I quickly went and grabbed my camera to record it so you could see it. After a couple minutes and a very frustrated Lexie later, she did it." She explained.

"Look at that smile on her face. She's so proud of herself." He stated in awe. "Thanks for recording this, Haley. It means a lot to me." He said.

"You're welcome." She said as they looked at one another. After a couple minutes of awkward silence, Haley spoke up. "Well, I guess I better get going." She said turning around.

"Haley, wait." He called haulting her movements as she turned back around to face him. "What?" She asked.

"How long did Lucas and Brooke say they could watch Lexie? Maybe we could go grab something to eat." He suggested hopeful.

"Actually, Brooke was wanting to keep her all night. I can call her and see if she's still up to it." She answered.

"Okay. Do that." He ordered softly as she nodded. She pulled out her cell phone and quickly dialed Brooke's number. She couldn't help but smile a small smile. She felt butterflies in her stomach as she talked to Brooke who readily jumped at the chance to keep Lexie for the whole night. She thanked her before ending the call. "Okay. She said yes and was really excited about it." She told Nathan.

"Good. Let me just finish something real quick, and then we'll go." He said taking a seat once again at his desk. Haley took a seat on one of the chairs. "How's everything going here?" She asked.

"Great. Sometimes, I think it's almost too good to be true. We have such an amazing group of employees. I'm just waiting for something to go wrong." He admitted.

"Oh, Nathan, don't think like that. We have such great employees, because they actually like their job. They have a great boss, and..."

"Great bosses." He corrected her.

"Well, it's mainly you. I've kind of been absent these passed couple years. You've been running the company pretty much by yourself. It's because of you. And everyone loves you and the work you do." She said.

"Thanks, Haley." He said in appreciation. "So, how's everything going at home?" He asked trying to keep their conversation civilized.

"It's good. Lexie keeps me pretty busy. She's in this stage where she's curious and tries grabbing everything in sight." She said.

"Yeah, I noticed that the other day. I was holding her and checking my e-mail on my phone, and she kept trying to take the phone out of my hand." He said as they both laughed slightly. "Haley, I need to ask you something. And I know I'm taking a risk that we'll end up fighting, but I have to know." He said after a couple seconds.

"Okay. What do you need to ask me?" She asked preparing herself.

"Have you seen or spoken to Rachel at all lately?" He asked hesitantly.

"No, why?" She answered.

"I just wanted to make sure she hasn't been bothering you or anything." He explained.

"Oh. Have you?" She asked not sure if she wanted to know the answer.

"No. I've been avoiding her calls. I warned her to leave us alone. I think she may have finally gotten the hint." He stated. He saw the relief wash across her face. He didn't realize until these passed couple weeks just how truly annoyed and tense Haley has been because of Rachel. He didn't know why he never realized it. It made him feel like the biggest asshole on the planet. He wanted to make up for everything he put her through, but he didn't know how to. He didn't know what could possibly make her feel better and forgive him for it all. He was careful not to let her catch him, but on the nights he couldn't sleep, he would slip quietly into her bedroom and simply watch her sleep. It was the only time since before Rachel showed up in Tree Hill when she seemed peaceful and content. That and when she's playing with Lexie. He remembered how he used to make her smile and laugh. And how he knew what he made her feel when they had sex-or made love in his opinion. He wanted them to get back to that point. He would even settle for just being able to hold her while they slept. He just wanted to feel close to her again. He missed her.

* * *

Half an hour later, they found themselves sitting at a restaurant. They had just ordered their food and were waiting for it to be finished. They decided to go ahead and order some actual drinks as well considering Lexie was gone for the night. They were both stressed and in need of something to take the edge off. "We need to do this more often-get out of the house and go out without Lexie. I love her so much and wouldn't trade her for anything, but I need a break." Haley said.

"I agree. I mean, I go to work and then go straight home and play with Lexie. I'm exhausted, and not the sleepy exhausted. I'm just emotionally and physically exhausted. We should make a plan to go out alone at least three times a month." He suggested.

"Alone, alone or together alone?" She asked timidly.

"Together alone." He answered as they smile slightly at one another.

"I'd like that." She said softly focussing her attention on her wine glass. He couldn't help but smile at her.

A couple hours later, they returned home. They were both a little tipsy but Haley moreso. She was definitely drunk. Nathan had to cut back a little, because he drove. He wanted her to have a carefree night. She deserved it. He helped her as they walked up the stairs into her bedroom. She about fell down, and he instantly grabbed ahold of her waist as she started giggling. "Sorry." She said through her laughter.

"It's okay. Let's get you to bed." He said.

"God, you're so sexy. You know that." She said looking up at him.

"I've been told that once or twice." He smirked at her.

"I'm serious. You're so sexy. I miss it when we have sex. We haven't had sex in so long." She said as she moved forward and began planting kisses along his neck. "Haley." He said in an effort to get her to stop. He didn't want her to stop, but she was drunk. He didn't want them to be together like this. And he didn't her regretting anything when they woke up in the morning. "Haley, stop." He said gently pushing her away.

"Why?" She pouted.

"Because we can't do this-not like this." He said.

"Nathan." She called out.

"What?" He asked.

"I think I'm going to be sick." She said. He immediately led her to the bathroom. After a round of throwing up, he helped her change into some pajamas and tucked her into the bed. He kissed her lightly on the forehead and went to leave the room. "Can you stay in here with me tonight?" She asked haulting his movements. He nodded and headed back over to where she was laying. He slid into the opposite side as she curled into his side. "Thank you, Nathan." She said almost inaudibly as she drifting off to sleep.

"You're welcome." He said softly as he quickly fell asleep.

**Okay, there you go. First thing, I'm sorry for getting this out to you guys later than I said I would. I was super busy this weekend. I know lousy excuse, but I'm going to use it. LOL! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I was going to make it longer, but I didn't want you to wait any longer. So, the next chapter, I'm going to try to make longer. Again, I want to thank everyone for reviewing and/or reading this story. You guys rock. Let me know what you think! Hopefully, I'll have another chapter up either Wednesday or Thursday. Until then!**


	19. Chapter 19

A couple months passed by. It was now a few days before Halloween. The passed two months had been better between Nathan and Haley. It wasn't great, but it was better. Nathan was still sleeping in the guest bedroom. They still haven't had sex or even kissed. There's been a few kisses on the cheek and forehead, but they were all chaste. There had been a few times where they almost crossed that line again, but Haley always stopped them. She wasn't ready to go down that road with Nathan again. She was tired of getting hurt and putting herself through that. It was hard, because she wanted and loved him so much. But she couldn't do it anymore. As for Rachel, she actually left town. They didn't know if it was permanant or if she would be coming back, but for now, they were grateful she was gone. She was the one strain in their relationship. With her gone, they were able to refocus on their relationship. They were able to focus on their marriage and being like a real family for Lexie. Nathan and Haley both made it a point to try to go out together just the two of them at least once every week. They had such a great support system who were willing to watch Lexie. Nathan's Uncle Keith and Aunt Karen, Lucas and Brooke, and even Stephanie were more than willing. She and Haley was beginning to really develop a close friendship. Haley always stopped by the company and brought Stephanie, Nathan, and herself lunch. On days when Nathan couldn't join them, they spent together.

Tonight, Nathan and Haley were going over Jake and Peyton's house for a costume party. Keith and Karen were going to keep Lexie for the whole night so Nathan and Haley wouldn't have to worry about coming home early. Nathan was in the kitchen waiting for Haley to finish getting dressed. He was dressed up as Danny from Grease. Haley picked it out for him because Grease is her favorite musical movie. He knew her costume was like a fifties theme as well, but he didn't know what it looked like. She did tell him that she thinks he'll like it, though. He was beginning to get impatient when he heard her shuffling into the kitchen. He looked over to the entance and was blown away. She was wearing this hot pink skirt with black polka dots that stopped at her mid thigh. She had on a black button down shirt tucked into the skirt with a belt around the waist. The shirt dipped down low with a plunging neckline showing off a considerable amount of cleavage. She had a tiny, skilky black and hot pink scarf tied around her neck. Her hair was swept up in a side ponytail. And she was wearing black shoes with hot pink shoe laces on them. "Wow." He commented.

"Do you like it?" She asked nervously.

"Yes." He answered immediately.

"I wasn't sure about it. Brooke said it was perfect, but I wasn't sure. I didn't know if it was too revealing or..."

"No, it's more than okay." He interrupted.

"Well, I figured since you were going as Danny, I could go as Sandy-a sluttier Sandy." She said.

"I like your way of thinking." He stated as they both laughed. "Well, I guess we better get going." He said.

"I guess so." She agreed. They flicked off all of the lights, locked the doors, and climbed into Nathan's SUV. They arrived at Jake and Peyton's just five minutes later. The party was in full swing. Lucas and Brooke still hadn't arrived which wasn't so shocking. Brooke always loved to make an entrance. As if on cue, Lucas and Brooke made their appearance. Lucas was dressed up as Jack from Pirates of the Caribbean and Brooke was dressed up in a revealing devil costume. Of course, Haley had already seen it considering they went shopping for their costumes together. The four quickly embraced one another. "You look hot, Lucas." Haley commented.

"I know. It's us Scott men. We know how to make any costume look good, right, Nate?" Lucas said.

"That is true." Nathan agreed as the two girls playfully rolled their eyes.

"I think it's because you have the two sexiest, hottest girls by your side." Brooke countered.

"That is true." Haley mimicked Nathan's previous words as he playfully glared at her.

"Haley, you are definitely owning that costume. Do you feel better about it now?" Brooke asked.

"I kind of am." Haley answered.

"Good, because you are hot. Don't you think, Nathan?" Brooke asked.

"Definitely." He responded catching Haley's gaze. He smiled when he saw the blush covering her face. He loved when she did that. It might sound weird, but he found it so incredibly sexy. It reminded him of just how pure and innocent she truly was. It was crazy. He used to think her purity and innocence was ridiculous and annoying. Now, he found it to be her most enduring quality. It was what attracted her to him the most. She was just in general a good girl. She was the typical girl-next-door with a heart of gold, and he loved her because of it.

"Hey, Nate, come with me to get some drinks." Lucas said interrupting Nathan from his thoughts.

"Sure. What do you want?" Nathan asked Haley.

"I don't know." She said thinking about what she wanted. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't notice Nathan leaning in until his lips were just outside her ear. She shivered and closed her eyes as she felt his hot breath on her. "I think you want a Screaming Orgasm. I think you'll agree that I make the best." He whispered seductively into her ear and smirked when he heard a hitch in her breathing. He pulled back slightly until he was directly in front of her face. "Actually, I'll just have some cranberry mixed with vodka, please." She said smirking up at him.

"Fine. We'll work on that other one later." He winked at her before walking off with Lucas leaving behind a completely flustered Haley.

"What was that about, Hales?" Brooke asked intrigued with what she just whitness. She couldn't hear what was said, but she definitely saw the look of lust that ran between both Nathan and Haley.

"Nothing." Haley dismissed.

"Sure as hell didn't look like nothing to me." Brooke commented. "It looked like I should go talk to Peyton and find out what room she wants me to throw you two in before you give us all a free show." She continued.

"Shut up, Brooke." Haley said playfully shoving her.

The guys returned shortly later and handed the girls their drinks. Haley didn't fail to notice that Lucas handed Brooke a bottle of water. She caught Brooke's gaze as her eyes widened. "What's wrong, Hales?" Brooke asked concerned.

"Oh my God!" Haley exclaimed as the other three grew confused by her sudden outburst.

"What?" Brooke asked.

"Water?" Haley commented skeptically staring into Brooke's eyes. She noticed the twinkle in them and the glow to her face. "Are you...?" She continued. She watched as Brooke smiled widely and softly nodded her head. "Oh my gosh! This is so amazing!" Haley exclaimed embracing Brooke in a hug. Lucas immediately caught on as poor Nathan was still utterly and completely confused. Haley broke out of her embrace with Brooke and pulled Lucas into a tight hug. "I'm so happy for you two. This is so awesome!" She exclaimed.

"What's going on?" Nathan asked wanting to be included in whatever was going on. The three of them looked at him and then looked at each other before Lucas finally clued him in. "Brooke's pregnant." He revealed.

"What? Oh my gosh, congratulations." Nathan said sincerely hugging Lucas and then Brooke.

"Okay, this calls for a toast. To my two best friends-I am so excited for you. And if seeing how you interact with Lexie is foreshadowing to how you'll be with your own baby, then that kid is going to be very lucky. We're here for you the same way you've been there for us. This couldn't have happened to a more deserving couple. I'm so happy, and I love you both so much. To Lucas and Brooke." Haley said as they all clinked their drinks together.

* * *

Three hours later, they were all still enjoying themselves at the party. Haley, Brooke, and Peyton ran off somewhere as Nathan and Lucas were standing in the kitchen. "So, things between you and Haley seem to be going well." Lucas commented.

"Yeah, things are definitely getting better." Nathan responded.

"Brooke told me that Rachel left town-probably a good thing." Lucas said.

"Yeah, it's a great thing. With her gone, Haley and I are able to focus on our marriage and on Lexie without anyone trying to stirr up trouble." Nathan said.

"You two seem close." Lucas stated confusing his cousin.

"Well, we're married and have a baby. Of course, we're close." Nathan said.

"That's not what I meant." Lucas said softly. Nathan didn't say anything. He just stared straight ahead. "You know, Brooke seems to think that you and Haley are in love with each other." Lucas continued wanting to see Nathan's reaction.

"What?" Nathan let out a small laugh. "Did Haley say something to Brooke?" Nathan inquired as his facial features appeared to be more serious.

"Not that I know of. It's just Brooke, though. She thinks the two of you would make a cute couple and has wanted you together for real since you got married. She swears up and down, there's something more going on between you two." Lucas responded watching Nathan's face closely.

"That's ridiculous. Haley and I don't love each other. I mean, I love her because we've known each other our whole lives and we're family. And I will always love her because she gave me Lexie, but I'm not in love with her." Nathan lied hoping Lucas would drop this subject.

"Yeah, I didn't think there was anything more going on between the two of you. It's just Brooke can be very persuasive sometimes." Lucas said not believing his cousin's words for a minute but decided to let it go. "Anyway, how's work going?" He asked changing the subject and caught Nathan's sigh of relief.

About five minutes later, Brooke and Haley came walking back into the kitchen. Lucas definitely noticed the way Nathan's face brightened after seeing Haley. Nathan smiled as he saw Haley come walking in, but his smile faded a bit when he noticed her solemn facial features. Once the girls stopped in front of them, Brooke immediately latched on to Lucas drawing him in for a kiss. "Are you okay?" Nathan asked Haley concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm kind of tired. Do you think maybe we could go home?" She asked finally looking up at him.

"Yeah, of course. Are you sure you're okay?" He asked as she nodded slightly at him. "Okay. Let's go." He said knowing there was something bothering her. They said their goodbyes to Lucas and Brooke and everyone else before they left.

* * *

The two arrived home shortly later. Nathan knew there was something wrong with Haley. She was quiet the entire drive home. When he asked her questions, she just nodded or muttered out an 'uh huh'. He knew something had to have happened at the party. Before and for the first couple hours of the party, she was fine. He knew this time it wasn't anything he had done. It couldn't have been. They were fine before the party. They were fine-even flirting-for a couple hours. She went off with Brooke and Peyton while he went off with Lucas. When they met up again, she was clearly upset. He knew it was nothing he did. He wished she would talk to him, though and tell him why she was so upset. "Hales, are you sure you're okay?" He asked again once they were inside their house.

"I'm fine, Nathan." She answered.

"Okay. So, I was thinking. We should totally grab a bunch of junk food and watch some really old, cheesy horror movies." He suggested excited.

"I'm kind of tired." She said.

"Come on, Hales. It's Halloween." He said.

"I know, but I..."

"We used to do this all the time when we were younger. It was kind of like our Halloween tradition once we returned home from trick-or-treating." He interrupted softly. Haley couldn't help but smile at the memory and at the hopeful expression on his face. She knew she was a goner. "Fine." She relented and laughed at his excitement. "Do you even have any of those movies here at our house?" She asked.

"Of course. Those were like the first things I packed up from my parent's house." He answered.

"You're like a girl right now. I hope you realize that." She commented.

"Whatever. I can deal with that. I mean, come on, who doesn't love those types of movies. They're so cheesy and stupid that you've got to love them. They're classics. And you know you love them, too." He said.

"I don't know about that. I remember a certain someone trying to scare the hell out of me while we were watching them." She glared at him playfully.

"You were too easy. You got so scared. And the sad thing is that I usually played the same pranks every year, and you still fell for them. That was the funniest part of the whole thing." He laughed.

"You were just a jerk." She commented.

"Yes, I was. And you were a scaredy cat. You still are." He retorted jokingly.

"Whatever." She stated rolling her eyes. "Anyway. You go get the movies. I'll go get the junk food." She said as he quickly agreed and took off up the stairs as she headed to the kitchen. After they both got what they wanted, they settled in the living room. Nathan brought down a blanket for them as they got situated on the couch. He was at the end of the left side in the recliner popped out. Haley was laying on her back with her head resting on a pillow on the right side with her feet resting in Nathan's lap. He gently started massaging her feet. "That feels good. Thanks, Nathan." She mumbled out in pleasure.

"You're welcome." He said. "So, it's kind of relaxing without Lexie." He commented a few minutes later.

"I know. I miss her, but it is kind of nice. I hope Keith and Karen are handling her just fine." She said.

"I'm sure they are. It's not the first time they've babysat for her. Besides, they're going to need to get used to it considering they'll have their own grandchild soon." He said.

"I know. I'm so excited for Lucas and Brooke. It's so amazing." She gushed.

"Yup. Pretty soon Lexie will have a little cousin to play with." He said.

"Oh, I can't wait for that. I can't wait to get pictures of the two of them together. I wonder what they're having." She said.

"I kind of hope it's a girl." He said.

"What is your obsession with girls?" She laughed.

"Well, I certainly hope I don't have an obsession with boys. We'd have a huge problem if that were the case." He joked as she lightly kicked him. "Hey, that hurt." He complained.

"You know what I meant. And that did not hurt. I barely touched you." She said as they laughed.

"I don't know why I want them to have a girl. I think it's more about Lexie having that close friend/cousin to grow up with. You know, like you with Brooke. I know you aren't related by blood or you didn't grow up together, but you're close friends. You live near one another. It's good that you have each other to turn to. I want Lexie to have that." He explained.

"Well, she could have that with a boy, too. I mean, look at me and Lucas growing up. We were really close." She said.

"That's true. But there's still some things you talk to Brooke about that you don't talk to Lucas about. There are certain things you're more comfortable talking to Brooke about, right?" He asked.

"I guess so." She responded.

"I just want Lexie to have that. I want her to be able to go to someone when she can't come to us." He said. Haley couldn't help but smile at this. She noticed how different he is from the guy he used to be before they got married. He's matured and grown up. She can say this, because she's not the same person she used to be before they got married. It's as if she passed along some of her traits to him while he passed along some of his traits to her. They've changed and grown together. And having Lexie has changed them greatly as well.

* * *

"Nathan! Look how cute Lexie looks!" Haley exclaimed while snapping pictures of Lexie in her Halloween costume. It was now three days later. It was Halloween night, and she and Nathan were taking Lexie out for trick-or-treating. It was like the perfect night outside-it wasn't too hot; it wasn't too cold. They obviously weren't going to go door to door to get candy considering Lexie can't exactly eat it, but they decided to dress her up, put her in her stroller, and walk her around town while the other parents and children were out trick-or-treating. "She's so precious!" Haley gushed while continuing going snapping crazy with her camera.

"She does look adorable." Nathan agreed.

"She's just my little funny bunny, aren't you? You're mommy's funny bunny." She said as Lexie looked up and giggled at her. She was dressed in a pale pink bunny rabbit costume. The costume even came with a toy carrot for her to carry with her.

"So, a bunny costume?" Nathan smirked knowingly at her.

"Yup." Haley said instantly realizing what he was thinking about.

"Does Lexie's costume have anything to do with Bunny?" He asked.

"Actually, no. I was shopping and couldn't find anything cute. And then, my eyes landed on this costume, and I immediately fell in love with it." She retorted.

"Maybe because you were sub-consciously thinking about Bunny. I still can't believe you named your bunny, Bunny." He stated as she playfully glared at him. "Speaking of, what happened to him?" He asked.

"The poor thing got cancer, and I had to take him to the vet to be put down. I cried so hard that day." She said emotionally remembering that day.

"You okay there, Hales?" He asked.

"Yes, I'm fine, you big jerk." She said shoving him causing them both to laugh.

"We should get Lexie a bunny." He said.

"Haha, laugh it up." She said.

"No, I'm actually serious. When she's a little older, we should get her a bunny as her first pet. I think she'd like having a bunny rabbit." He stated.

"Really? That would be awesome!" She exclaimed.

"Now, Hales, you'll have to remember that the bunny is our daughter's not yours." He stated.

"I know that." She said defensively.

"Just making sure. Anyway, you ready to go?" He asked.

"Yes, we are. You ready to go trick-or-treating, sweetie?" She exclaimed clapping her hands together as Lexie giggled. "Okay, let's go." She said. Nathan opened the front door and waited for Haley to walk out pushing the stroller before shutting and locking it.

It was close to two hours later, when they decided to call it a night. Lexie was getting tired and so were Nathan and Haley. "Haley? Oh my gosh, Haley James, is that you?" A voice sounded haulting their movements.

"Brianna? Oh my gosh, what are you doing here?" Haley asked as the two girls embraced.

"Actually, I have an aunt that lives here." The girl responded.

"Oh yeah, I remember you telling me that. Are you in town long?" Haley asked.

"No. I just came in a couple days ago, and I leave tomorrow night. So, how have you been?" Brianna asked.

"I've been great. I'm back home and everything's wonderful." Haley answered.

"I heard about your parents. I'm so sorry, Haley." Brianna said sympathetically.

"Thank you. It's been hard but slowly getting easier." Haley responded.

"And who is this?" Brianna asked acknowledging Nathan.

"Oh gosh, I'm sorry. Brianna, this is my husband, Nathan. Nathan, this is a friend of mine from Stanford, Brianna." Haley introduced.

"Husband? Wow! Nice to meet you." Brianna said sticking out her hand to him.

"It's nice to meet you, too." Nathan responded accepting her handshake.

"And who's that?" Brianna asked pointing to a sleeping Lexie.

"That is our daughter, Alexia." Haley answered proudly.

"She's adorable. She looks like you. Congratulations." Brianna said as Haley thanked her.

"So, I guess things are really over between you and Trevor, then." Brianna stated catching Haley off gaurd as Nathan's ears perked up.

"Well, things have been over between Trevor and me for awhile now." Haley responded awkwardly.

"I know that. But to tell you the truth, a lot of us thought you two would get back together. You were such a cute, sweet couple. We were all hoping for a reconciliation between the two of you. What did happen between you two? We never heard the reason why you guys broke up." Brianna said.

"Oh, umm...we just, it was a mutual decision. We realized we just weren't in love with each other and decided to make a clean break before things became too complicated." Haley answered. Nathan instantly knew she was lying. He could tell from her facial features and the way her whole body became tense. He was curious.

"I guess everything happens for a reason. And now it looks like you made the right decision. You have a husband and a beautiful baby girl. I'm glad everything worked out for you, Haley." Brianna stated.

"Thanks." Haley said.

"Oh gosh, I'm sorry but I have to go." Brianna said looking at her watch. "Hey, do you maybe want to meet for breakfast tomorrow if you aren't busy? I would love to catch up some more." She asked.

"Yes, I would love to." Haley answered.

"Okay, it was nice meeting you, Nathan." Brianna said.

"Nice meeting you, too." He responded. The two girls gave one another a quick hug and said goodbye before Brianna took off in the opposite direction. Nathan and Haley began walking in the direction of their house. "She seems nice. You know her from Stanford." He said.

"Yeah. We lived on the same floor in the dorms. We didn't hang out a lot, but we would talk occasionally at some of the dorm parties. She is such a sweet girl. Sometimes, I wish we could have hung out more. We were both so busy with school work, though. We both had jobs and other close friends. But I'm grateful for at least meeting her." She said.

"So, who's Trevor?" He asked after a couple seconds.

"Oh, he was nobody." She responded quickly.

"Didn't sound like nobody. He sounded like an old boyfriend. And according to your friend, he sounded like your perfect boyfriend. What happened?" He asked with a slight edge.

"Nothing." She said vaguely.

"Haley, what happened?" He persisted.

"Nothing! Just drop it, Nathan!" She exclaimed while picking up her pace. Nathan couldn't help but feel his jealousy increasing. It was definitely clear that this old boyfriend had a great affect on Haley. If he didn't mean anything to her, she wouldn't have become so upset and would have been able to talk about him. He wondered if this Trevor guy was to Haley what Rachel was to him. He wanted to know more about his and Haley's relationship. He wanted to know what happened between them to make Haley so closed off. He wanted to know if she still had feelings for him.

* * *

"Lexie's fast asleep. I think we wore her out." Nathan stated walking into Haley's bedroom. It was close to nine o'clock that night. They had returned home about forty-five minutes ago. "I think she had fun tonight." She said.

"I think so, too." He agreed. A silence drifted between them. "Haley, what happened with your ex-boyfriend?" He asked softly.

"It's not important, Nathan. Just let it go." She said exasperated.

"Clearly it is important. Why can't you just talk to me about it?" He implored.

"Because Nathan, it wasn't something that I like to think about." She answered.

"Haley, do you still have feelings for him?" He asked afraid of the answer. He was confused when she let out a slight laugh. It wasn't a happy type of laugh, it was more like a disbelieving type of laugh. "You do, don't you?" He said.

"No, Nathan, I don't have feelings for him. Whatever feelings I had for him, died the same night I ended things with him." She responded.

"Then, what happened?" He asked again.

"Why are you so fixated with this? Why do you care so much?" She asked.

"I just want to know what happened. You were the same way when I told you about Rachel." He stated.

"I don't want to talk about it, Nathan." She said feeling her anger rising within in.

"Why? Please just talk to me, Haley." He pleaded.

"He tried to rape me, okay!" She exclaimed before realizing what she said.

"What?" He asked completely thrown. He felt a million emotions pass through him once he heard those words pour out of her mouth. "What happened, Haley?" He asked gently. He watched as she sat on her bed. He saw the tears glistening in her eyes as he took a seat next to her. "Haley, what happened?" He asked again.

"Remember when we were in Hawaii, and I told you about this guy I had dated for about six months." She began as he nodded his head in remembrance. "Well, that was him. We met our junior year at Stanford in a literature class. He was very charming. He knew I was really into reading and writing, and he used that to persuade me into going out on a date with him. Brooke convinced me to give it a shot and take a chance. Lucas was his overprotective self warning me to be careful and all that 'big brother' type stuff. He wanted us to do a double date with him and Brooke first, but I told him that was very unnecessary. Anyway, I went out with him, and it was great and amazing. We started going out more regularly and within a month, we were officially together. A few more months into the relationship, we had the 'sex' talk. I told him that I was waiting until I was married to have sex. He was surprised but very supportive. He told me it's great that I still have morals and don't succumb to what everyone else is doing. I was blown away by his response. Most guys would have dumped me right then and there. We only became closer after that. He was perfect. I mean, absolutely perfect. I always had this feeling that something was going to happen, because no guy is that perfect and amazing. But I brushed it away, because I thought maybe, just maybe, I found him. On our six month anniversary, he asked me to come over to his apartment for dinner instead of going out. I walked into his apartment and saw the place lit with dozens of candles and roses all over. It was so romantic, and I started crying. He cooked for me. After we finished eating, we went into his bedroom. He popped in my favorite chick flick, Fools Rush In. We cuddled under the blankets. Well, halfway into the movie, we began making out. It was pretty hot and heavy. We were definitely doing a lot more than we would normally do. I actually thought I was ready. I thought I wanted to lose my virginity that night. We had both shed out of our shirts. But just as he slipped his hand into my skirt, I realized it wasn't about being ready or not. It was about waiting till I was married. I gently pushed him off of me and said I couldn't do it. Let's just say, he didn't like that response. He got angry and frustrated. He started going off that he was tired of waiting. He pulled me back down to the bed and started forcefully kissing me. I begged him to stop and tried pushing him off of me. He was just too strong. After awhile, his hands started to roam all over my body, and I felt his body push off of me slightly. I took the opportunity, and I kneed him right where it hurts. I quickly grabbed my shirt and shoes and ran out of his apartment." She explained.

"Haley, I'm so sorry. I had no idea. Did you tell anyone about this?" He asked.

"I told Brooke. After I left his apartment, I got in my car and drove straight to San Fransisco to Brooke's dormroom. I stayed with her that night, and I went home the next afternoon." She answered.

"Lucas doesn't know." He asked.

"No, I didn't tell him. I knew he would kill Trevor for what he did. Brooke and I have kept it our little secret." She said.

"I'm so sorry, Haley. Oh my gosh, I can't believe what I said to you that night we were in Hawaii. I'm so sorry." He said with his voice full of regret.

"It's okay, Nathan." She said immediately.

"No, it's not okay. I was such a jerk, and what I said was uncalled for." He repremended himself.

"It's okay. It's no use in beating yourself up over it. You didn't know. It's over and done with." She assured him as he nodded his head at her.

"Are you okay? I mean, do you think about that night a lot?" He asked.

"Not really, actually. I did until I came back home. Brooke was really there for me. And when I moved back home, I knew I was far away from him. After that night, he kept his distance from me. He sent me flowers a few nights after with a note apologizing for what he did. But that was all-I didn't contact him, and he didn't contact me. He dropped out of our literature class to avoid seeing me. I was really grateful for that. People asked me what happened between us, and I simply told them it was a mutual breakup. It really could have been worse. The first couple months after, I was just waiting for him to come back. But he didn't. I was really terrified at first. And I still haven't been able to watch my favorite movie because of that night. But now I'm home, and I never have to see him again. And that's fine by me." She answered.

"I'm glad you're far away from that asshole. If I ever come face to face with him, he better run." He threatened angrily.

"Don't worry about it, Nathan. I appreciate the sentiment, but it's over. It's in the past, and I have a new life now. One that doesn't include Trevor at all. I still think about it sometimes, but for the most part, I'm over it. I'm happy and content now." She said. She watched as he pulled her into his embrace. She wrapped her arms under his arms clinging to his shoulders. "I'm sorry you had to go through that." He said quietly before moving to rest his forehead against hers while his left hand gently caressed her cheek. "Thank you for telling me." He said.

"You're welcome." She said softly.

**Okay, there you go. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you guys think. I will try to have another chapter up for you guys sometime tomorrow. Until then!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Just a few things first-I know it's not Christmas time, but it's that time in this story right now. I just wanted to warn everyone of that. And I will admit I am one of those Christmas nuts. I am one of those ones who start playing my Christmas in my car on as soon as Halloween has passed and watch only Christmas movies from November 1 until the end of December. I know I'm a nerd, but Christmas really is my favorite time of year!**

Nathan heard singing coming from the kitchen. He walked in and saw Haley dancing around and singing while baking. "What are you doing?" He questioned startling her.

"Jeez, Nathan, are you trying to give me a heart attack?" She shot out holding her hand up over her heart.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. And I certainly didn't mean to interrupt your, umm, your singing and dancing." He chuckled.

"So, you saw that." She said.

"Yes, I did." He confirmed as she lowered her head in embarrassment. "Did you really sing at a bar in college?" He asked jokingly.

"Haha, you're hilarious." She deadpanned.

"I promise I won't tell a soul what I just witnessed." He said.

"Thank you." She said laughing.

"Anyway, what are you doing?" He asked noticing the dozens of cookies, brownies, and candies that flooded the kitchen.

"I am making Christmas treats for people." She answered.

"And by people, do you mean everyone in the state of North Carolina?" He stated.

"I guess, I am kind of going overboard. But I just love Christmas so much!" She gushed.

"Christmas was always your favorite time of year. I remember how much you used to annoy me with all of your Christmas spirit and crap." He commented. "Ouch!" He exclaimed after Haley hit him in the arm. "What was that for?"

"That was for speaking negatively about Christmas. You will not speak that way in front of Lexie, you hear me? She will grow up in a house that loves this time of year. And we will go all out for this holiday every single year. If you are not willing to cooperate, you will take your 'Scrooge' self away from my Christmas cheer." She said.

"I promise I will not rain on your Christmas spirit. But are you one of those people who will decorate the entire house-the outside and the inside?" He asked cringing at the thought.

"Yes, I am. Which reminds me. We need to go tree shopping. There's a tree lot with some of the most amazing trees a couple miles out of town. You should probably see if you can borrow your Uncle Keith's truck, because we need to get three trees and..."

"Three trees? Why the hell do we need three trees?" He interrupted her.

"Well, we have the family room, the living room, and the sunroom." She answered.

"We need a tree in all of those rooms. Why not just in the family room?" He asked.

"Yes, we need trees in every room. I want people to drive by and see a tree lit up in every one of the main windows. It will make them happy." She gushed.

"Or suicidal." He mumbled. "Ouch, will you stop hitting me?" He exclaimed rubbing his arm where she had hit him.

"What did we agree to?" She glared at him as he held up his hands in defense. "Anyway, just think of all the fun we'll have decorating three trees. Lexie is going to love it!" She exclaimed.

"Lexie is only ten months old." He commented.

"Your point?" She said.

"I guess I don't have a point." He stated. "What would you like me to do?" He surrendered.

"Well, it would be really great if you could put up the lights on the outside of the house." She said with an innocent smile.

"Are there a lot?" He asked nervously.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to have you go all Clark Griswold this Christmas." She stated as he shot her a look of complete confusion. "You know, Christmas Vacation. The movie." She explained as he still shook his head having no clue what she was talking about. "You've never seen Christmas Vacation? That's it, that will be the first movie we watch tonight." She announced.

"Are you seriously going to make me watch Christmas movies all night every night?" He asked.

"Yup." She simply stated.

"Fine. So, what are your plans for tomorrow?" He asked.

"I am going shopping for presents. I got most of my presents when Brooke and I went shopping the day after Thanks-  
giving, but there's still a few smaller ones I need to buy."

"Well, maybe you can stop by the office and have lunch with me. Or I can meet you somewhere." He suggested.

"Or maybe you can take the day off and come shopping with me. I promise I won't go all Christmas crazy." She said.

"That sounds like an even better idea." He said as they smiled at one another.

* * *

A couple days had passed and Christmas was seven days away. Nathan did what Haley wanted and brought home three trees. He had just finished putting them up in the three rooms. Haley had returned home from buying new ornaments as well as pulling some boxes of old ornaments from their basement storage room. "This is so exciting!" She exclaimed as the two were decorating the tree in the family room. They set up a little play area for Lexie on the floor further away. "This was always my favorite part of Christmas." She said.

"Really?" He asked.

"Yeah. Every year, seven days before Christmas day, my parents and I decorated our tree. We made a whole day out of it. We had tons of decorations and ornaments. We made cookies and drank egg nog-non-alcoholic, of course. And then, we relaxed and watched movies. We watched all of the classics. You know-Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, Santa Clause is Coming to Town, Frosty the Snowman, and all of the other ones. It was nice. Just the family all together. That's what the holiday season is all about-spending it with your loved ones. That was my favorite part of Christmas." She explained.

"I'm sorry your parents aren't here for this." He said sympathetically.

"It's definitely the hardest this time of year with my parents being gone. This was always our holiday. And I wish, they could be here with me now. I wish they could be here to celebrate Lexie's first Christmas. But it's okay. I know they're looking down and watching us right now. They're still here in spirit." She continues.

"Yes, they are. They would be so proud of you, Hales. You were such an amazing daughter. And now, you are such an amazing mother." He stated.

"Thanks. You know, you're a pretty amazing dad, too." She said.

"Yeah, Lexie's the one thing I did right with my life." He commented as they shared a small smile. They finished decorating that tree and the two others. Haley was back in the family room playing with Lexie when she heard feet shuffling into the room. She looked up and saw Nathan standing there with a goofy smile on his face. "What?" She questioned.

"Oh nothing." He commented.

"Okay." She said thinking he was acting weird.

"Hey, grab Lexie and come with me into the living room." He said.

"Why?" She asked.

"Because I said so." He responded. She rolled her eyes before picking Lexie up and following him into the other room. She walked in and noticed a tray of cookies and some egg nog. She looked to the left of those and saw all of her old Christmas movies. "It's tradition, right. Your parents may be gone, but you're still here. And now, it's up to you to carry on the tradition with our own daughter. So, what do you say? Should we finish out your favorite part of Christmas?" He said.

"Yeah, I would really love that." She answered softly as tears threatened to fall from her eyes. Nathan popped in the first movie before they got settled on the couch. Nathan was stretched out with the recliner popped out holding Lexie in his arms as Haley was curled into his side with a blanket draped across them both.

* * *

"Merry Christmas!" Haley exclaimed as she, Nathan, and Lexie walked into Keith and Karen's house. It was Christmas Eve, and they had just arrived at Keith and Karen's for Christmas dinner.

"Hey, you guys! It's so wonderful to see you!" Karen gushed pulling each of them into a hug. "Now, let me hold that beautiful little girl." She demanded as Haley unfastened Lexie from the carseat and handed her over to Karen. "She looks so precious!" Karen commented. Lexie was dressed in this black and crimson red dress. From the waist down was the red with black patterns embedded in it. From the waist up was black velvet. Around the waist was a red bow.

"Hey!" Brooke exclaimed pulling Haley into a hug. Brooke was about four months pregnant and had a very small, almost unnoticable baby bump forming. "So, how are you feeling?" Haley asked.

"Wonderful." Brooke proclaimed.

"Seriously? No morning sickness or anything?" Haley asked in disbelief.

"Not really. The first couple months there was some, but nowhere near how you were feeling." Brooke answered.

"Did I ever tell you how much you suck?" Haley stated as the two girls laughed. "So, where's Lucas?" She asked.

"Oh, he's around here somewhere. I think his mom sent him out to the garage to get something for her. I don't really know, though." Brooke commented.

"Good to know how well you keep tabs on your husband." Haley joked.

"He's irritating me today anyway." Brooke said.

"Why? What's he doing?" Haley asked intrigued.

"He's breathing." Brooke simply stated.

"Okay, I can see what type of mood you're in today. How about we go get something to drink and snack on? I'm kind of starving, and I bet you are, too." Haley stated rubbing Brooke's belly.

"See, this is why you're my best friend. You understand what I'm going through unlike a certain person." Brooke said saying the last part loudly when she saw Lucas entering the house.

"What did I do now?" He asked irritated as Nathan joined the three of them while Karen took Lexie away with her.

"What did you do? How about we start with what you didn't do." Brooke stated. "First of all, you did..."

"Okay, Brooke and I are going to get something to eat and drink. Baby's hungry, and so is mommy, and so am I. So, we'll just be going now." Haley interrupted Brooke as she pulled her with her into the kitchen.

"What was that about?" Nathan asked.

"I don't know exactly. Let me ask you something. Was your wife such a...such a hormonal person when she was pregnant?" Lucas asked.

"Yes and no. Mostly no. She was so sick that she mostly just stayed in bed all of the time. She wasn't very hormonal until the end of the pregnancy, but I don't really think that was hormones." Nathan said.

"Yeah, I don't either. I think that was more Rachel." Lucas commented. "I don't get it. I don't have an ex-girlfriend in town that I'm spending every second of my day with."

"Hey, I know you're annoyed right now, but can we please not rehash the moments when I was a total dick?" Nathan said.

"Whatever. I just...I don't know what Brooke wants. She's so up and down right now. And when I ask her what she wants, she screams that I just don't know her the way I should. And then she starts crying, and then she brings out the ice cream. And then, she's all hot and bothered and wants to make love. I'm going crazy here, Nate." Lucas said.

"Sorry, Luke, but I don't know what to tell you. I've never been able to deal with Brooke. She's a little too crazy when she's not pregnant for me." Nathan said.

"That's true. But anyway, how's everything going with you?" Lucas asked changing the subject.

"Can't complain." Nathan responded.

"How's your mom doing?" Lucas asked softly.

"The same. Haley and I are taking Lexie over there tomorrow for Christmas." Nathan answered.

"I'm sorry, Nate." Lucas said.

"It's okay." Nathan replied.

* * *

"Are you having a good time?" Nathan asked as he approached Haley who was standing up against the wall in the living room watching Lexie playing with a couple new toys Keith and Karen bought her. "Yeah, I'm having a great time. You?" She asked.

"I'm having a great time." He mimicked her previous words. "It looks like Lexie loves her new toys." He commented shifting his gaze over to her.

"Yeah. Keith and Karen are so sweet. They're going to make great grandparents. I'm glad we could come here. It's nice to still have some family to spend the holiday with." She said.

"So, what's the plan for tomorrow?" He asked.

"Well, I was thinking we could wake up and eat breakfast. We can let Lexie attempt to open up her presents from us, and then, we could head over to your mom's. Does that sound okay to you?" She asked.

"Sounds like a plan." He replied.

"We should probably bring some extra clothes for us and Lexie. I was thinking we could stay there for the night. You know, spend the whole Christmas day with your mom." She suggested.

"I would really like that." He agreed. "Thank you, Haley." He said after a couple of seconds.

"For what?" She asked confused.

"For everything. For being so supportive of my mom. I know I'm probably holding onto false hope that she'll wake up, but thank you for understanding and supporting me. Thank you for making this one of my best Christmas's. Your Christmas cheer has been really comforting. And I want Lexie to grow up loving Christmas, and what it means. And thank you for giving me Lexie. I love her so much, and I can't imagine my life without her or you in it." He explained. They locked gazes and smiled sweetly as one another.

"Why don't you guys just kiss already?" Brooke's voice sounds breaking them out of their daze.

"What?" They both say simaltaneously. Brooke points to the ceiling above them. They look up and see mistletoe hanging directly above them. They shoot a quick look at Brooke as she smirks at them before walking away. They timidly look at one another. "We don't have to, Haley." He said.

"It's tradition, right." She says quietly.

"It is." He agrees just as quietly. They lock eyes before slowly leaning into one another. Their lips graze each others in a soft sensual kiss. After a second, Nathan pushes for more and runs his tongue along her bottom lip as she immediately responds and opens her mouth to him. Their tongues caress one another in a slow but passionate kiss. Neither had the desire to speed up their ministrations and kept it at steady, rhythmatic pace as she placed her hands on his chest while his cupped her cheeks gently. After a couple minutes, the need for air became too strong. They forced themselves to break apart as they rested their foreheads against one another not ready to let go completely. It was quiet. The only sound they could hear was their heavy breathing.

"Did you just see that? Now, do you believe me?" Brooke asked her husband as they were standing in the doorway watching Nathan and Haley.

"Yes, I saw that. And yes, I believe you." Lucas answered.

"We need to do something, Lucas. I'm tired of them fighting their feelings. They love each other so much, and I just want them to finally admit it. I want them to be happy." Brooke said.

"Well, what do you think we should do?" He asked.

"I don't know. We can't talk to them about it. I swear, those two are the two most stubborn people in the world. I don't think they'll ever admit how they feel." She commented.

"How about we do something simple? Like, how about we ask if we can babysit Lexie for a night to get some extra practice in and set them up on a romantic date. It can be on a night when they want to go out anyway. We can plan everything. We can convince them to try out this new restaurant and have a table ready with candles and roses." He suggested.

"Lucas, that is so sweet." Brooke gushed as small tears cascaded down her cheek. Lucas couldn't help but smile at his wife and her hormonal self. "Have I told you today that I love you?" She asks.

"Today? No." He says with a laugh.

"Well, I do. I love you very much." She says wrapping her arms around him and kissing him. "Merry Christmas." She mumbled against his lips.

"Merry Christmas." He returned.

* * *

"I would like to make a toast. To a new year full of love and babies and family. May everything we want and wish to happen come true. I love you guys. Happy New Year!" Brooke announced as everyone clinked their glasses together. Nathan, Haley, Lucas, Brooke, Jake, and Peyton were all at Tric. Jake and Peyton decided to host a New Year's Eve party at Tric this year. They had just signed a new band to their label and couldn't think of a better time to make their debut. "So, what's everyone's New Year's resolutions this year?" Brooke asked as they all took a seat in a booth. Brooke and Lucas climbed in one side, Nathan and Haley climbed in across from them, and Jake and Peyton pulled up a couple of chairs on the end of the table. "I never make New Year's resolutions." Jake said.

"Me neither." Both Lucas and Peyton agreed.

"I do-every year, but I never actually finish them." Brooke said.

"Are you going to make one this year?" Peyton asked.

"I don't know. I haven't really thought of any. I've been so focused on the baby and everything." Brooke answered.

"What about you, Hales?" Jake asked.

"I'm making a resolution to actually get some sleep this year." Haley answered causing everyone to laugh.

"I guess having a baby will make you sleep deprived." Peyton stated. "Good luck with that, Brooke." She continued.

"I'm already preparing myself for it." Brooke replied.

"What about you, Nate?" Lucas asked.

"I don't know." Nathan said.

"Do you normally make New Year's resolutions?" Brooke asked.

"No, but I've been thinking about doing it this year." Nathan answered.

"What of?" Lucas asked.

"I don't know yet." Nathan said shifting a glance in Haley's direction as Lucas and Brooke shared a knowing look.

It was fifteen minutes till midnight and the three couples were currently dancing on the dancefloor. Nathan and Haley were both a little tipsy intending to enjoy their evening without Lexie. They were dancing closely and seductively against one another. Haley grew tired of having Nathan behind her and turned so that their chests were touching each others. She wrapped her arms around his neck as his hands gripped her waist pulling her closer into him. She let out a slight moan as she brushed up against his hard erection. "God, Haley." He groaned into her ear gripping her waist even harder. They stared into each other's eyes as they continued grinding against one another. They heard Jake and Peyton yell that it was ten seconds till midnight from the stage. The countdown soon began as their eyes stayed locked together. "5, 4, 3, 2, 1-Happy New Year!" The crowd yelled kissing their significant others. Nathan smirked at Haley before capturing her lips in a kiss as the heat erupted between them. Their tongues battled for dominance before breaking apart. Before Nathan had a chance to even look at her, she was pulling him off the dancefloor and across the club. She looked around quickly to make sure no one had seen them and pulled him into the bathroom locking the door behind them. She felt him grab her arm and push her back against the bathroom stall before claiming her lips with his once again. She reached between them and made quick work of undoing his belt buckle and jeans pushing them downs his legs. He latched onto her bare thighs and hoisted her up pushing her dress up as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Not wasting another second, he plunged himself deep within her as they both let out a sigh of relief. They found a fast-paced rhythm as their breathing and moaning grew louder knowing nobody would be able to hear them due to the music. Their fast and frenzied pace made their orgasms approach quickly as she tightened her grip on his shoulders. He bent down placing his forehead in the crook of her neck waiting for his body to calm down. Their breathing became more even, and he moved slightly back to look her in the eyes. "Happy New Year's, Haley." He said.

"Happy New Year's, Nathan." She responded leaning in to capture his lips one more time in a soft kiss.

* * *

The next morning, Haley awoke with a splitting headache. She glanced at the clock on her nightstand and saw it read one in the afternoon. She groaned while flopping her head back against the pillow. She turned to her side and noticed she wasn't in bed alone like normal. She saw Nathan laying beside her, and her eyes widened as she remembered their night before. After their little "session" in the bathroom, they quickly called for a cab to go home. They were all over each other in the cab, and even moreso once they reached their house. They walked in and didn't even make it to the bedroom. They landed in the family room where they had sex on the couch before actually making it up the stairs and into her bedroom. They, then of course, had sex two more times before passing out completely. "God, we shouldn't have drank so much!" She groaned.

"Stop talking so loud." Nathan's voice demanded as she looked over to him.

"Nathan, we need to talk about last night." She said.

"What about it?" He asked annoyed at having been woken up.

"It was wrong, and we should have stopped it." She says.

"Really? Now, I remember a certain someone saying and I quote, 'Right there, Nathan. Don't stop. Please don't stop." He smirked at her while keeping his eyes closed. He could feel the blush empowering her face right now. "Don't worry so much, Haley. We were drunk and having a good time. In my opinion, it was the perfect way to bring in the new year and end the night. Stop overanalyzing everything." He continued.

"But what about..."

"Seriously, Hales, it wasn't a big deal, okay. We've had sex before-many times and in many different positions." He commented and laughed as she covered her face with her hands. "Look, it happened. We can't go back in time and change it. It's over and done with. Let's just lay here resting and relaxing until Lexie comes home." He said as she hesitantly nodded at him. "Okay, now come here." He said lifting his arm so she could move into him.

"Nathan, I don't thin..."

"Haley, shut up and come here." He demanded sternly but softly. She shifted her body and curled into the side of his body. He wrapped his arm around her back rubbing his fingers up and down her arm gently. "There-now, just relax." He whispered. After a few seconds, he felt her tense body relaxing under his touch. It didn't take long for the two of them to fall back asleep.

**Okay, I know you are all itching for the ILY's, and they are coming, I promise. But Naley have to go through a couple more things before this happens, but I hope it will be worth it in the end. Anyway, thanks for the reviews and following this story. I should have another update for you guys on Sunday. Until then!**


	21. Chapter 21

"Do you have everything ready for Lexie's birthday party?" Stephanie asked as she and Haley were eating lunch.

"Yes, which is a relief. There really wasn't that much to do. Nathan and I wanted something really simple, and we wanted just close friends and family. Just the people who have really been here for us this passed year." Haley answered.

"I can't believe it's been a year already. It seems like just yesterday you were bringing her here for the first time to meet everyone." Stephanie stated.

"I know. She's growing up so fast. I can hardly keep up with her now, just wait till she starts walking. Oh, did I tell you that she started crawling?" Haley said.

"No, you didn't, but Nathan did. He came into work gushing about how his daughter was crawling for the first time. He was definitely a proud daddy." Stephanie said. The girls finished eating and headed back to the company. "So, are you going to head home or go see Nathan?" Stephanie asked once they were standing outside of Nathan's office.

"I think I'll just pop in real quick to say hi." Haley answered.

"Okay, well, I'll see you at Lexie's birthday party." Stephanie said as they said goodbye before Haley walked into the office. She noticed Nathan sitting at his desk. He immediately looked up when he heard the door open and close. "Hey, did you girls have fun?" He asked.

"Yeah. We just went over to the cafe for lunch." She answered.

"Are you okay? You seem really tired, and you've been really quiet these passed couple of days." He said.

"I'm fine. I'm just ready for tomorrow to get here, and then, I can relax." She said.

"You're lying. What's going on, Hales?" He asked.

"I'm just kind of stressed and freaking out right now." She said vaguely.

"About what?" He prodded. He watched as she took a deep breath before opening her mouth to speak. "I should have started my period last week." She revealed quietly.

"Okay." He said not understanding where she was going with this.

"I have very regular periods, and I never miss them." She said as he continued to just stare at her. "The last time I missed the date of my period was when I found out about Lexie." She informed him.

"Wait, are you saying that you might be..."

"Pregnant? Yeah." She finishes for him.

"Have you taken a test?" He asks.

"No, not yet." She answered.

"You should take a test. I'll send Stephanie out to go buy one." He says calmly.

"What's up with you?" She asks.

"What do you mean?" He asks confused.

"Why are you being so cavalier about this? I might be pregnant, Nathan, don't you get that?" She states irritated.

"Yes, I get that, Haley." He replies.

"And that doesn't bother you?" She asks. He doesn't say anything. "Nathan!" She yells.

"No, okay. The possibility of you being pregnant doesn't bother me." He answered.

"What? How can you be okay with this?" She asks.

"Why are you so not okay with this? You said you wanted to have another baby." He counters.

"Because Nathan, you and I have no business having another baby together. We..."

"We what, Haley? We're married, we already have Lexie together-what would be the big deal with having another one?" He interrupts her.

"Please, Nathan. Enough with that we're married crap. In two years, this marriage is over. Lexie is already going to have to be passed back and forth between us, and you want to bring another baby into the mix. For what?" She says incredulously.

"Excuse me for wanting Lexie to have a brother or a sister." He spits out.

"She can still have that later after..."

"No, Haley. I want her to have a real brother or sister. I don't want her to have a brother or sister from you and a brother or sister from me. I want her to have another sibling from us. Is that so wrong?" He asks softly.

"Nathan, another baby would complicate things even more than they already are. I'm not ready for another baby right now." She says.

"I'm not saying I want one right now. I'm just saying that..." He begins but stops.

"You're just saying what?" She urges him to continue.

"I'm just saying that I don't want to have another baby with anyone else." He answers quietly.

"I don't want that, Nathan." She says as a deafening silence falls over them.

"Well, then, maybe you should take a pregnancy test. Once we know the results, then, I guess we can start discussing what we're going to do. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a budget meeting to get to. I'll see you at home." He says dejected as he walks out of his office. She flinches as the door slams shut. She sinks down to the couch as her tears fall freely. "Haley, is everything okay?" Stephanie asks cautiously walking into the office. "I heard the door slam and saw Nathan storming off angrily." She continues sitting next to Haley on the couch.

"No, everything's not okay." Haley said wiping away her tears.

"I'm guessing you and Nathan had a fight." Stephanie said stating the obvious. Haley nodded before placing her head in her hands. Stephanie quickly pulled her into her embrace. "It's okay, Haley. Everything will be okay. Whatever this fight was about will be resolved soon, and you and Nathan will be right back to how you are in no time." She reassures.

"That's the problem." Haley mumbles inaudibly.

A couple hours later, Nathan was riding up in the elevator waiting to get to his office. He might as well have not even went to the budget meeting. He couldn't focus. His mind was focused on Haley and their arguement they had hours earlier. He couldn't stop replaying it over and over in his head. He didn't understand why it would be such a big deal if she was in fact pregnant. He would understand if it was only because she wasn't ready, but that wasn't all it was about. He felt like the biggest idiot for telling her he wanted to have another baby with her. She made it clear she doesn't want that. He heard the elevator chime as the doors opened. He walked out and headed towards his office. "Hey, Mr. Scott." Stephanie greeted.

"Hey, Stephanie." He returned as he kept walking. He stopped and turned back around once he was in front of his office. "Did Haley leave?" He asked.

"Yes. Probably about half an hour ago. She said she had to go pick up Lexie from daycare." She answered. He nodded solemnly before turning towards the office.

"Nathan." She called out haulting his movements.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"I don't know what you and Haley were fighting about, but I do know she was really upset. I found her crying in here after you left for your meeting. I know she feels horrible about it. And I don't mean to get involved or overstep my boundaries, but maybe you should just go home and talk to your wife and try to fix whatever it was you were fighting about." She said.

"Thanks, Stephanie." He said.

"I'll see you tomorrow at Lexie's birthday party." She said.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow." He said before disappearing into his office.

* * *

Nathan smiled as he watched Lexie "eat" her birthday cake. She had frosting and cake all over her fingers and hands. He watched as she tore off a small piece and smeared it on Haley's face who was sitting right next to her. Haley started laughing while wiping off the cake and icing from her face. Nathan watched as Lexie began giggling that adorable laugh she has and then smiling that gorgeous smile she has at her mom. For Nathan, it was the perfect, most amazing sight to watch. He and Haley still haven't discussed their arguement they had the previous day. When he returned home from work, Haley was already asleep. When they both awoke this morning, they were so busy getting everything ready for Lexie's birthday party that they have barely said more than ten words to one another all day. He watched as she turned her head as they stared at one another.

Haley laughed as she wiped the food that her daughter had smeared across her face. She was happy Lexie was having what seemed like a good time. She was afraid she would be fussy and tired all day. She could feel his gaze on her. She shifted her head and caught his eyes. A million emotions passed through her body. She had effectively been avoiding him all day.  
It's been easy considering all of the other people who were at their house right now. But she knew, eventually, it would be just the two of them again. She has been trying to prepare herself for that all day. Breaking out of her thoughts, she left to go grab a washcloth from the kitchen. She picked up a washcloth and ran it under the water. "Hey." A voice sounded startling her. She turned and saw Nathan standing beside her. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He said.

"It's okay." She said focussing her attention back to the faucet.

"Lexie seems to be having a great time." He commented trying to end the dreadful silence.

"Yeah, she does." She agreed.

"You seem to be having a great time, too." He stated.

"I am. What about you?" She asks.

"It's been a fun day." He answered. "So, are we going to talk about yesterday?" He asked after a moment.

"I started my period last night." She revealed.

"Oh." He commented. She could hear the disappointment in his voice and see the disappointment on his face. "Well, that's good, I guess." He continued.

"Yeah." She agreed half-heartedly.

"Then, I guess there's nothing more to discuss." He said before turning and walking out of the kitchen. She sighed before moving to follow him. She stopped when she heard a knock on the front door. She walked over to it and opened up. "What are you doing here?" She asked angrily.

"Hi, Haley." Rachel greeted.

"What are you doing here? Did you not get the message last time that you're not welcome here?" Haley asked.

"Is Nathan here?" Rachel asked.

"Yes, but he's busy. We're celebrating Lexie's birthday, so I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Haley replied.

"I figured. But I wanted to drop this off for Lexie." Rachel said holding a present out for Haley.

"She doesn't want it." Haley said pushing it away from her.

"Fine, I deserve that." Rachel stated.

"You deserve a lot more. Well, it's been fun like always. Now if you excuse me, I have to go." Haley said shutting the door. Rachel quickly put her hand up to stop her. "Look, Haley, I don't mean to cause any trouble. I would just really like to speak with Nathan." She said.

"He doesn't want to talk to you." Haley countered.

"Really?" Rachel questioned.

"Really." Haley said.

"Are you sure about that? Because we've been texting each other for the passed few days." Rachel said.

"You expect me to believe you." Haley said.

"No, I don't expect that. But I'm thinking you'll probably believe Nathan." Rachel said.

"I know what you're doing. You're just trying to get me to go get Nathan so you can talk to him." Haley said.

"Actually, I'm not. I can prove it to you without him." She said pulling out her cell phone and handing it over to her.

"What's this?" Haley questioned.

"It's the text messages we've been sending one another." Rachel answered.

"Right. I'm sure you had someone else named Nathan send you these messages making it look like my Nathan." Haley said.

"_Your_ Nathan? Well, look at the phone number." Rachel said as Haley looked down to her phone. "Isn't that _your_ Nathan's phone number?" Rachel said smugly. She smirked when she saw the look on Haley's face. "You can go ahead and borrow my phone for awhile to read through those messages. When you're done with it, just go ahead and give it to Nathan so he can return it to me. I'm staying where I was staying before I left. Tell Lexie I said happy birthday." Rachel said walking away.

Haley walked into the dining room and saw Keith, Karen, and Stephanie sitting around playing with Lexie. She left and found Lucas, Brooke, and Nathan in the kitchen talking. "Haley! Where have you been?" Brooke exclaimed. "What's wrong, sweetie?" She asked noticing the look on her friend's face. Haley didn't say anything. She just walked straight up to Nathan. "You want to know why I don't want to have another baby with you. It's because I don't trust you." She began.

"Another baby?" Lucas and Brooke questioned simaltaneously.

"Here." Haley said shoving the phone into Nathan's chest. "What is this?" He asked confused.

"It's Rachel's phone. She told me to tell you to take it over to her once I was done with it." She answered.

"Rachel's in town? What are you doing with her phone?" He asked even more confused.

"Yeah, she had a few text messages to share with me. I've read what I needed. I don't need it anymore." She said walking out of the kitchen furiously.

"What's going on, Nathan?" Lucas asked. Nathan looked at Rachel's phone and scrolled through some items before finding the text messages. "Damn it." He mumbled.

Later that night, Nathan caustiously walked into Haley's bedroom. Everyone had left a couple hours ago. Haley had been ignoring him ever since their encounter in the kitchen. Once everyone was gone, she took Lexie upstairs for a bath and to get her ready for bed. He stayed downstairs to clean the mess from the party. He figured it was probably best to give Haley some time to herself. He knew she didn't want to speak with him right now-not that he blamed her. He walked further into the bedroom before hearing the bathroom door open. He saw Haley walk out freshly showered and dressed in a tank top and some pajama shorts. Her wet hair was thrown up in a messy bun. "What do you want, Nathan?" She asked annoyed.

"I thought maybe we could talk." He said nervously.

"Why?" She asked as she pulled back the comforters on her bed.

"Haley, could you please just stop and look at me?" He begged. She stopped what she was doing and turned to look at him. "Thank you." He said.

"Why have you been texting her? After all of the lies she's told, why would you even talk to her?" She asked.

"She text me first and..."

"What, are you back in middle school? She text me first, so I had to text her back." She interrupted sarcastically.

"No, Haley, that's not what I meant. I just, I wanted to tell her I didn't want to talk to her and to leave me alone." He said.

"You did a great job with that, Nathan." She shot out.

"I didn't ask her to come here, and you're making it sound like I did." He retorted.

"No, but you encouraged her just by talking to her. And you encouraged her by telling her you miss your friendship and still care about her." She said.

"That wasn't an invitation for her to come back to Tree Hill." He said.

"It doesn't matter. She's a freaken psychotic stalker. And now, she's back here because you're an idiot." She said.

"I'm sorry, Haley." He said.

"You're always sorry." She huffed out before walking out of the bedroom.

* * *

Nathan sat in his office. He didn't even know why he came in for the day. That's a lie. He did it to get out of his house. He was avoiding Haley. He didn't want to see that look on her face. The one that displayed just how angry at him she truly was. His text messages to Rachel were completely innocent and straight-forward. She asked him if he would be able to forgive her or if they'll ever be able to be friends again. He told her one day maybe but not now. He told her he needed to focus on Haley and Lexie, and he couldn't deal with any of her problems or her. She told him she understood, but she loved and missed him. He then told her he missed her, too and that he still cared about her. But he also told her he was done with her for right now. That was all there was to it. He didn't understand why Rachel decided to come back here. Things were actually going well for Haley and him. Sure that whole baby arguement was a minor setback, but things were going well. He should have known something like this would happen. His thoughts were broken when he heard his door opening. "Hey." He said surprised at seeing Haley walking in.

"Hey." She greeted.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"We need to talk." She responded.

"Okay. Where's Lexie?" He asked.

"Brooke's watching her." She answered walking further into the office until she was standing in front of his desk. "Look, we need to talk about Rachel." She continued.

"What about her?" He asked already dreading this conversation.

"You need to get her to leave town." She said.

"What do you want me to do, Haley?" He asked.

"I don't know, but you need to do something. I can't handle her being here. I can't, and I won't deal with it again." She said sternly.

"I'm sure if we just ignore her, she'll go away." He said.

"She won't, Nathan! Do you not get that?" She yelled.

"Well, I don't know what you want me to do! I can't force her out of town! I already gave up my friendship with her because of you! What more do you want me to do?" He retorted.

"I never made you give up your friendship with Rachel. If I recall, you did that yourself when you found out what a lying, manipulative bitch she was. Don't you dare try to blame that on me! If you miss Rachel so much, then, go to her. I don't care anymore, okay. I don't give a damn about what you do! I'm tired of this. I'm sick of hearing her name, and I'm sick of her. You want to know what I want. That's what I want-Rachel gone completely!" Haley retorted.

"I don't miss her, okay. And I'm not blaming you for Rachel and me not being friends anymore. But I can't make her go away, Haley." He said.

"I know you can't." She said calmly. He stood up from his chair as she took a defeated seat on his desk. He walked until he was standing in front of her. "Haley, I'm sorry. I know I sound like a broken record, but I honestly didn't think she would come back here. I never gave her any indication that I wanted her here." He said.

"I know you didn't. And it's not your fault she's such a crazy bi...person." She said as he laughed slightly at her. "I'm not trying to blame you. I'm really not. I just...I don't want her here." She said looking up at him.

"If it makes you feel any better-neither do I." He stated.

"I know she thinks she can worm her way back into your life, and I don't want to deal with this all over again." She said.

"Haley, I don't want her in my life anymore. If someone put a gun to my head and made me choose between her or you and Lexie, it would be you guys. It would be you." He said cupping her face in his hands.

"Really?" She asked quietly and full of doubt.

"Yes. It would be a no brainer. I wouldn't have to think twice." He confirmed as he gently leaned forward and kissed her. The two got lost in the moment, and they deepened their kiss. She placed her hands on his chest and began unbottoning his shirt. He gripped her hips and pulled her closer to the edge of the desk. He tore his lips away from hers and latched them to her neck. She threw her head back and gripped his hair as he sucked vigorously on her exposed skin. "You're who I want in my life. You and Lexie. I don't care about Rachel, and I don't want her. I want you-right now." He mumbled into her skin.

"I want you, too." She breathed out grabbing his face and bringing him back up to her for a kiss.

"Mr. Scott, there's a phone call for you." Stephanie's voice sounded through the intercom. He detached his lips from Haley's once again to answer her. "Stephanie, could you, umm...could you take a message for me?" He stammered out over the intercom as he felt Haley planting kisses along his chest.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Scott, but it's your mom's doctor. He said it's important." Stephanie replied.

"Fine. Connect him through and ask him to hold for a minute." He relented. He and Haley hesitantly broke apart still trying to catch their breaths. "I'm sorry." He said.

"It...it's okay." She said. He took a couple more seconds and picked up the phone while buttoning his shirt back up. Haley jumped off of his desk and straightened her clothes out. She vaguely heard Nathan talking to Deb's doctor on the phone. All of a sudden, she turned around at the sound of his voice. She saw the many expressions playing across his face. She couldn't quite read what they were. She waited impatiently for him to finish his conversation and let out a sigh of relief when he muttered a goodbye before hanging up. He didn't look up right away, though. He just continued staring down at the phone. "Nathan, is everything okay?" She asked quietly causing him to finally look up at her. "What happened?" She asked concerned.

"My mom's awake." He revealed.

**Okay, there you go. So, Rachel's back! I know you all love that, don't you? LOL! Anyway, thanks again for reading and/or reviewing this story. I love hearing what you guys think and enjoy and what not. I am off tomorrow, so I should be able to get another chapter out to you guys. Until then! Have a great Sunday!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Okay, just to let you know, I don't know anything about coma patients or their recovery process. Everything I included in this chapter is from the good old internet. There isn't any drama to this chapter. It basically focuses on Deb waking up. There's no Rachel or anything. This chapter is a shorter one.**

"I don't understand. I thought you said it was highly unlikely that my mother would wake up." Nathan said. After receiving the phone call that Deb was awake, Nathan and Haley rushed over to his parent's house. When they arrived, Deb had fallen back asleep. Now, the two of them and Deb's doctor were sitting in the family room discussing the situation.

"It was very highly unlikely for her to wake up. I'm just as surprised as you are, Nathan. There have been cases in which patients have awoken from comas lasting for years, but it is very rare. Your mother showed no signs of actual life to her except for that one time three years ago when she moved. Other than that-nothing." The doctor explained.

"Is she going to wake up again or has she fallen back into a coma?" Nathan asked.

"I can't be certain, but I'm very confident she has just fallen into a deep sleep. Regaining consciousness is not instant: in the first days, patients are only awake for a few minutes, and the duration of time awake gradually increases. Their bodies and their brains are trying to, in a way, catch up." The doctor explained.

"What seems to be her prognoses, then, if she does in fact wake up. Is there brain damage or any physical damage?" Nathan asked.

"Well, I'm going to have to transfer your mother back to Tree Hill Memorial to run some tests. While she was in her coma, I never saw any traces of brain damage so extensive she couldn't recover from if she did wake up. She may wake up in a profound state of confusion, not knowing how she they got there and sometimes suffering from dysarthria. Once she is awake and out of any immediate danger, we will concentrate on maintaining the health of her physical state. The concentration will be directed on preventing infections such as pneumonias and bedsores. These infections may appear due to your mother's lack of movement and being confined to the bed. Our nursing staff will have to move her every two to three hours from side to side and, depending on the state of consciousness, sometimes to a chair. Their goal will be to move her as much as possible to try to avoid these infections." The doctor answered.

"So, what do we do? I mean, us-me and Haley?" Nathan asked pointing to himself and Haley.

"Actually, your guys' role will probably be the most effective and beneficial in her recovery. Emotional support and continuous "emotional stimuli" by close family members and figures familiar to the patient, are believed to have the most positive impact on the improvement of comatose patients. Common reactions such as desperation, anger, frustration, and denial are possible, and she will need a strong support system surrounding her. Not only is she dealing with the fact that she has lost three years of her life, but she will be dealing with the fact that she lost her husband and your parents, as well, Haley. She's going to be going through many different emotions." The doctor responded.

"Okay. What do we do now?" Nathan asked trying to soak in everything the doctor has said.

"Now, I need your permission to transfer her back to Tree Hill Memorial." The doctor answered.

"Yes, definitely." Nathan immediately responded.

"We'll run some tests and monitor her prognosis." The doctor continued as Nathan and Haley nodded their heads. "Okay, I'm going to go prepare for her transfer." He finished as he stood up and walked away from them. Haley turned her heard towards Nathan as he sat there in silence. "Nathan." She said capturing his attention.

"My mom's awake, Hales." He said still in disbelief.

"I know." She said sharing his disbelief.

"I know I was holding onto hope, but honestly, I never thought it would happen. I just wasn't ready to let her go yet. I just, this all feels like some sort of dream." He said.

"It's definitely not a dream, Nathan." She stated. She watched as a couple tears fell from his eyes. She brushed them away with her hand before leaning forward and resting her forehead against his. Within a second, he captured her lips in a kiss catching her completely off gaurd. After a few seconds, he pulled away touching his forehead to hers once again. "Sorry, I just needed to make sure I wasn't dreaming." He explained.

"It's not a dream, Nathan." She repeated her previous words.

"I know." He whispered.

* * *

It's been five days since Deb had awaken from her coma. Just like the doctor said, she has been coming in and out of her coma state ever since. The length of her consciousness has been gradually increasing, and they were waiting for the moment she awoke and questioned what happened and where she was. Nathan was sitting in one of the chairs next to his mother's bedside. He had pretty much locked himself in that hospital room except for when Haley forced him to go home to get some sleep, take a shower, and get something to eat. Right now, she was dropping Lexie off with Karen before coming back to the hospital. Nathan was starting to doze off when he felt his mother's fingers moving within his hands. He looked up to her and noticed her eyes fluttering around trying to take in her surroundings. He immediately paged a nurse and/or doctor. It was seconds later, when her doctor rushed in. Nathan stepped out of the way as the doctor began checking her vital signs. Deb's awareness of where she was seemed to kick in as she asked why she was in the hospital. "Hi, I'm Dr. Morrison. Do you know who you are?" The doctor asked.

"My name's Deborah Scott." She answered.

"Yes, that's correct. Can you tell me who that is?" Dr. Morrison asked pointing to Nathan.

"He's my son, Nathan." She answered. Nathan let out a sigh of relief that at least some of her memory seemed to be in tact.

"Yes, that's correct, as well." Dr. Morrison stated.

"What's going on?" She asked confused.

"Mrs. Scott, we need to run a couple tests, and then, we'll discuss what's going on. Okay, do you think you can handle that?" He asked. She nodded weakly at him. After a few minutes, Dr. Morrison walked away from the bed towards Nathan. "Nathan, in all honesty, I think you should be the one to explain to her what happened and what's going on now." He said.

"Okay, what should I say?" Nathan asked.

"Tell her the truth-not everything all at once. You do it gradually. First, start with telling her she's in a coma. Go on to tell her of the recovery process. All of this will bring about why she's in a coma. Is this something you can handle or would you like me to talk to her?" Dr. Morrison asked.

"No, I would like to be the one to tell her." Nathan answered quickly. The doctor nodded and left the room. Nathan softly walked over to her bed and sat down in a chair next to her. "Nathan, what's going on?" She asked.

"Mom, there's some things that I need to talk to you about, and I'm going to need you to stay calm, okay?" He said as she slightly nodded and waited for him to continue. He hesitated before speaking once again. "You were in a coma." He stated gently.

"What? How long?" She questioned.

"Three years." He revealed.

"What? Three years?" She said.

"Yes. Dr. Morrison is running some tests. There doesn't appear to be any brain damage, but he's going to make sure. And there's going to be a lot of physical therapy we're going to have to go through. But pretty soon, you're going to be back to new." He stated.

"What happened, Nathan? How did I get into a coma? And where is your father?" She questioned.

"Mom, what's the last thing you remember?" He asked.

"Umm, well, your father and I were in New York City for business with Jimmy and Lydia. Lydia and I did some shopping, and, then, we headed back home. That's the last thing I remember." She answered. Nathan was surprised-her whole memory seems to be in tact all the way up until right before the accident. "Mom, there was a car accident. The four of you were in the limo on your way back to the houses, and there was a head on collision with an oncoming car." He began.

"Oh my gosh, what happened? Where's everyone else? Where's your father?" She asked beginning to panic.

"Mom, you were the only one who survived. Jimmy, Lydia, and...and dad died." He revealed cautiously.

"What?" She cried as her tears turned into heavy sobs. He immediately sat on her bed pulling her into his embrace trying to calm her down.

* * *

Seven hours later, Nathan was still sitting in the chair next to his mother. Deb had fallen asleep after he explained some more about what had happened. He told her pretty much everything except his and Haley's marriage and about Lexie. Haley had returned to the hospital shortly after Deb had fallen asleep. She brought them both some lunch while he explained everything to her. He asked about Lexie, and she told him Lucas and Brooke were going to keep her for the night. Nathan turned his attention to his right side. He noticed Haley had fallen asleep on the small couch. He stood up and walked over to her. He picked up a small blanket and draped it across the length of her body. He crouched down in front of her and swooped her hair out of her face. He leaned forward and lightly kissed her on the forehead before standing and returning to his seat next to his mother. A few minutes passed when he heard her stirring around. Her eyes fluttered open. "Hey, mom." He greeted softly.

"Hey, sweetie." She greeted.

"How are you holding up?" He asked.

"I've been better. It's just a lot to take in." She answered quietly.

"I'm so sorry, mom." He said.

"I'm sorry, too." She said.

"I've had more time to deal with it, though." He said.

"I'll learn how to deal with it eventually." She said as he nodded in understanding. She turned her head and noticed Haley sleeping on the couch. "Is that Haley?" She asked with a smile.

"Yeah." He answered.

"Gosh, it's so wonderful to see her." She said with tears in her eyes. "How's she holding up? I know it's been three years for the two of you, and you have probably found a way to deal with it." She continued.

"She's dealing with it. She took it really hard at first, but she's getting better. She's strong." He stated.

"Of course she is-she's Lydia's daughter afterall." She said.

"Mom, there's a couple other things I need to tell you." He said.

"Oh gosh, what now?" She asked dreading the answer.

"It's not bad." He reassured her.

"Okay, what's going on?" She asked.

"Do you remember a certain provision that you, dad, Jimmy, and Lydia put into your wills for Haley and myself to gain ownership of the company?" He asked.

"Yeah. You both had to be twenty-three years of age and have a business degree." She answered.

"Yes, there were those two. But do you remember a couple other ones-ones that you didn't intend to share with Haley and me until my twenty-fifth birthday? Do you know what I'm talking about?" He asked. He watched as she searched her brain for whatever it was he was talking about. All of a sudden her eyes widened, and he knew she had figured it out. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. It wasn't supposed to happen this way. We were supposed to talk to the two of you about it first and...wait, what happened? Did you guys give up the company?" She asked.

"No, we still have the company." He answered.

"But we were very specific in our wills. That would mean the two of you...are you two..."

"Married? Yes, we are." He finished for her.

"Oh my gosh! Are you serious?" She exclaimed.

"Pretty serious." He answered holding up his left ring finger to reveal his wedding ring.

"Oh my gosh, this is so wonderful!" She gushed.

"Mom, don't get ahead of yourself." He said. She gave him a questioning look. "Mom, the provision stated that we only had to stay married for five years. It's been three. We only have two years left." He continued.

"What? So, the two of you have been married for three years, and just like that, in two years it's over." She stated.

"We only got married to gain ownership of the company. That was the only way we could thanks to our lovely parents." He said sarcastically. "What did you think was going to happen?" He continued.

"I just thought, you guys might actually have real, genuine feelings for one another. We never thought you would end up going through with the divorce." She said.

"We are. We don't have feelings for each other." He lied. Deb didn't see through his lies. She knows him from who he was before their accident. That guy didn't know how to fall in love. That guy didn't want to get married and be in a single, committed relationship. "What else is there?" She asked.

"What?" He asked confused.

"You said there were a couple things you had to tell me. What else is there?" She asked.

"Oh, yeah. Well, there was another provision you guys added along with the marriage. Do you remember what that is?" He asked. She shook her head. "No, I'm sorry but I don't." She said.

"It's okay. You know what, it would probably be best if I show you this one." He said as she looked at him confused. "I'm just going to go make a quick phone call, okay?" He said.

"Okay. I'll be here." She said as they both laughed. She sighed as he closed the door behind him. Even though she still had her full memory, she couldn't help but feel completely out of the loop and really disconnected. She was feeling confined in her bed and wanted to get up and move around. She heard some noises and looked over and noticed Haley stirring around.

Haley's eyes fluttered open and looked around trying to recognize her surroundings. She sat up rubbing her eyes before realizing where she was. "Deb." She said quietly standing up. "Oh my gosh, hi." She choked out as tears glistened in her eyes. Out of all the times, Haley has been here, she was never once here when Deb was awake. She reached out her left hand and grabbed ahold of Deb's left hand. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

"I'm tired and trying to adjust to this life." Deb answered. She noticed a couple tears fall down Haley's cheek and watched as she hastily brushed them away with her right hand. "I'm sorry. It's just, we weren't expecting you to wake up. And now, you're here. I'm talking to you, and you're talking back. I just never thought this would happen." Haley said.

"Oh, come on, Haley, I couldn't leave my son and beautiful daughter-in-law alone, could I?" Deb said.

"So, Nathan told you." Haley said nervously.

"Well, that and I know his grandmother's engagement ring like the back of my hand." Deb said holding Haley's left ring finger in her hand. Haley looked down and laughed. "I always knew it would look good on your finger." Deb stated.

"It's such a beautiful ring." Haley commented staring lovingly at it. Deb definitely caught the look on Haley's face. She just wasn't sure if the look was for the ring itself or the meaning behind the ring. Before she could question it any further, the door opened. "Okay, mom, I...hey, Hales. You're awake." He said noticing his mother and wife sitting on the bed.

"Hey." She greeted quietly while smiling up at him which he immediately returned. Deb watched the exchange between the two and tried to interpret it. "Where were you?" Haley asked.

"Oh, I had to make a quick phone call to Lucas and Brooke." He answered.

"Lucas. Oh, how is my sweet nephew? He's still with the bubbly girl who loves to talk so much?" Deb questioned causing both Nathan and Haley to laugh.

"Yup, that would be Brooke. They're actually married now." Haley stated through her laughter.

"Oh, that's so great!" Deb exclaimed.

"They're actually on their way here." Nathan said.

"Oh, good. I would love to see Lucas." Deb exclaimed. Nathan and Haley shared a knowing look with one another. "So, sit down. Tell me all about the passed three years." Deb ordered as Nathan took a seat on the chair next to them. They continued talking for about fifteen minutes until a soft knock on the door interrupted them. Nathan and Haley stood up as Lucas and Brooke came walking in. "Lucas! It's so wonderful to see you." Deb exclaimed.

"Hey, Aunt Deb. You remember Brooke, don't you." Lucas greeted as Brooke waved at her.

"Yes, I do-the talkative one." Deb smiled at the girl as they all laughed.

"That's me." Brooke responded proudly.

"Who's that?" Deb asked pointing to the baby in Lucas' arms. "Is this your daughter? And it looks like you have another one on the way." Deb said gesturing to Brooke's slightly protruded stomach. Nathan took Lexie out of Lucas' arms and turned back towards his mother. "Actually, mom, this is your grand-daughter." He revealed.

"What?" She asked shocked.

"This is our daughter." He said pointing to himself and Haley. "Mom, this is Alexia Penelope Scott. Lexie, this is your Grandma Deb." He introduced bringing Lexie closer to her.

"Oh my gosh." Deb cried. She gently reached her arm out to the little girl. She wasn't fully recovered and still had to go through some extensive physical therapy. She had some basic motor skills such as moving her arms and legs slightly, but nothing more than that. "She's so precious. How old is she?" She asked.

"She just turned one actually a week ago today." Nathan answered.

"Wow, I can't believe it. I have a grandchild." She stated.

* * *

Nathan was taking a hot shower. His body was tense from spending a whole week camped out in the hospital. He hired some round-the-clock nurses to help his mother with her physical therapy. Her test scans came back negative for any brain damage. And now, the doctors were focusing on her physical therapy. He was exhausted and needed to relieve the stress out of his body. He finished his shower and stepped out. After throwing on some sweatpants, he headed up the stairs. He bypassed his room and went straight to Haley's bedroom. He saw her sitting on her bed reading a book. She was wearing some tiny shorts with a tank top and hooded sweatshirt with it zipped halfway up. Her hair was thrown up in a messy bun, and she was wearing her glasses. She looked so sexy in that moment. He inched further into the bedroom until she finally looked up and noticed him. "Hey, what are you doing in here?" She asked happy to see him.

"I just took a shower. I was bored and wasn't ready to go to sleep yet." He stated plopping down onto her bed horizontally at the ends of her feet.

"How are you feeling? You've got to be pretty sore from sleeping at the hospital for a week." She said.

"I am. My whole body aches." He admitted.

"Maybe I could help with that." She said.

"Really? Now, how do you suppose you're going to do that?" He smirked up at her.

"Well, I could give you a massage." She offered.

"Sounds good to me." He said. They readjusted themselves on the bed. He was laying on his stomach facing the foot of bed as she was straddling his back. "Jeez, you really are tense." She commented massaging his shoulders roughly, but gently at the same time.

"That feels so good." He moaned out.

"Nathan, I'm so proud of you." She said.

"For what?" He asked confused.

"For how you're handling this situation with your mom. How you've handled explaining everything to her. I know how exhausted and on edge you've been this week. I just wanted you to know that you are doing a great job." She explained.

"Thank you, Haley." He said.

"You're welcome." She responded.

**Okay, there you go. I told you-pretty simple with no drama. It's just acting as a filler chapter preparing for Deb's role in this story. Anyway, let me know what you think. I should have another update for you either Tuesday or Wednesday. Until then!**


	23. Chapter 23

"Hey, Nathan, it's Rachel-again. I've been trying to contact you for about a month now. I was hoping we could grab lunch or dinner sometime. Anyway, if you could please give me a call. Bye." Rachel slammed down her phone against the coffee table. She's been in town for a month and has yet to even see Nathan. Instead of returning her phone personally like she had hoped, she received it through the mail. She's been by his office, and that assistant of his told her that he hasn't been in. And she refused to take a message or give her any further information. She just looked at her smugly and said, "If Nathan wanted to talk to you, he'd contact you himself." _Bitch!_ She furiously opened up a leftover newspaper on her table and began reading the headlines. "What the hell!"

_Deborah Scott, wife of Dan Scott-the co-owner of JOTTS DIST, has awaken from her coma. If you remember, she along with Dan, Jimmy James-the other co-owner of JOTTS DIST, and his wife Lydia were all involved in a fatal car accident three years ago when returning home from a business trip in New York City. Jimmy and Lydia James died instantly while Nathan Scott had to make the decision of taking Dan Scott off of life support. Deb Scott fell into a coma and has been in once for the passed three years. Until now. We received word that on February 3, Deb Scott opened her eyes for the first time. The family has been really tightlipped with the situation wanting to focus on her recovery. She has been undergoing intense physical therapy and was released from Tree Hill Memorial a couple days ago._

Rachel slammed down the newspaper. "This news has somewhat hindered my plans. But at least now I know why Nathan hasn't been responding to any of my phone calls or text messages. Well, I guess, I will just have to figure something else out." She said aloud before picking up her purse and cell phone and rushing out of the cafe.

* * *

"Hey, Deb. How are you feeling today?" Haley asked walking into the guest bedroom. After Deb was released from the hospital, she, Nathan, and Haley all agreed it was best for her to come stay with them for awhile until she starts to readjust to her new life. Plus, she wanted to be near Nathan and Haley and Lexie. She wanted to get to know her granddaughter. Nathan moved all of his stuff back into the master bedroom with Haley in order for his mom to have the guest bedroom. "I'm good. How about you, sweetie." Deb asked watching her daughter-in-law climb into the bed next to her.

"I'm tired." Haley answered.

"Yeah, I heard Lexie crying all night last night." Deb commented.

"I'm sorry, Deb. Did you get any sleep?" Haley asked sympathetically.

"Oh, don't worry about it. I've been sleeping for three years. Besides, it was a nice sound. It made me feel more at home and helped me remember that I'm here with the three people I love the most." Deb responded.

"I'm so happy you're awake and here right now, Deb. These passed three years have been so hard on both me and Nathan. Gosh, losing my parents has been the most difficult thing I have ever faced. And not only did I lose my actual parents, but I lost my secondary parents as well. I know Nathan's been feeling the same way, too. It's just such a relief and so amazing to actually be able to talk to you. I love you, Deb. I hope you know that." Haley said as some tears fell from her eyes.

"Oh, I do. I love you, too, sweetie." Deb responded as the two embraced one another. "Your parents were so proud of you, Haley. They loved you so much. You were their entire world. And they would be so proud of you now-to see the wonderful woman you have become. They would be proud of the amazing mother that you are. I always knew you'd make one hell of a mother. And I'm so grateful that it's you who is the mother of my grandchild." She continued.

"Thank you, Deb. You know, you'd be so proud of Nathan. He is the most amazing father to Lexie. I never would have thought I would see him the way he is with her. He loves her so much." Haley said.

"Oh, I see it. He takes after his father in that way. I thought the same thing about Dan when we first started dating way back then. But he proved me wrong. I think it's just that way with those Scott men. They're all tough and macho on the outside, but when it comes down to it, they're just as sweet and vulnerable on the inside." Deb said as she and Haley broke out of their embrace. "You okay, Deb?" Haley asked after a couple of seconds when she noticed her brushing some tears away.

"Yeah, I just feel like I've missed so much of Lexie's life. And yours and Nathan's, too. But I missed her first for basically everything. I wish I could somehow get all of that time back. It's frustrating. I mean, I'm grateful I can be here now, but I still wish I wouldn't have missed so much." Deb admitted.

"You know, I don't know if it will help since it's not the real thing. But I think I might have something that will make you feel better." Haley said. She helped Deb out of the bed, and they made their way down the stairs. Haley led her to the living room and told her to take a seat and wait there as she left the room. She returned a few minutes later with a bunch of photo albums and dvds. "What's this?" Deb asked.

"This is what our life has been like for the passed three years. I think I have pictures and videos of everything Lexie has ever done. Nathan's always laughing at me and making fun of me for going overboard. But I told him that one day, we would appreciate having everything recorded and documented. I also have Lexie's baby book. It's obviously not completely finished, but it is up-to-date." Haley answered.

"Oh my gosh, this is so wonderful. Thank you, Haley." Deb said with tears in her eyes.

"You're welcome, Deb. Well, how about you pick out something to watch first, and I'll pop it in for you while you look through the photographs." Haley suggested.

"Okay. You know, I just want to watch everything. Why don't you just start from the beginning." Deb stated. Haley nodded while grabbing the dvd of her time in the hospital after Lexie was born and placing it in the dvd player. She handed Deb the remote. "I'm going to go check on Lexie and see if she wants to come down and spend time with her grandma." Haley said before leaving the room.

* * *

A couple hours later, Deb had finished all of the tapes of Lexie and just finished flipping through the photo albums and baby book of her. Haley had come downstairs once saying that Lexie was fussy and she was going to try taking a soothing bath with her to see if that would do the trick. Deb was stacking all of the dvds and photo albums neatly together on the coffee table when she noticed a couple photo albums she missed. She picked them up and noticed one was pictures from Nathan and Haley's wedding and the other one was full of pictures of the two of them. She opened the wedding album one and came to a blank page first with a built-in dvd sleeve. She pulled out the dvd realizing it was a video of their wedding. She stood up and placed it in the dvd player and waited for it to load. She began flipping through the pictures while waiting. "Gosh, she looks so beautiful. And he looks so handsome." She gushed as she stopped on a picture of the two of them together. She studied the photograph closely. From an outsiders point of view, you would never be able to know they were pretending to be happy and in love. They looked genuinely happy and in love with one another. She finished that album and picked up the second one. She saw pictures of them on their honeymoon in Hawaii, ones with Lucas and Brooke, ones in Aruba, ones of them together during her pregnancy, some more with Lexie-there were so many. She continued to look through them and saw some recent ones. She saw some from the fourth of July in Florida, there were a couple from Jake and Peyton's Halloween party, some from Thanksgiving and Christmas, and most recently, Lexie's first birthday. Deb knew Haley had to have just added those to the album. She shut the album and remembered the video of their wedding was in the dvd player. She pushed play and began watching.

Haley came back downstairs to check on Deb. She heard a dvd playing in the hall and stopped as she realized what is was. She walked further until she was standing in the doorway of the living room. She didn't make a sound as she watched unnoticed. She could feel the tears in her eyes as she remembered that day vividly. She listened and watched as they recited their vows. Before she knew it, the minister announced them husband and wife. She watched as they shared that chaste kiss she remembers so well. She hadn't even realized she was crying until a tear landed on her hand. She quickly brushed them away and tried to compose herself before approaching Deb. "Hey, Deb, you all finished?" She asked.

"Yes. Thank you so much again, Haley. It's not the same as the real thing, but it is the next best thing. I appreciate is more than I can say really." Deb answered.

"You're welcome. Well, Lexie is awake and hungry. I'm going to bring her down here and then get started on some lunch. Any requests?" Haley asked.

"Anything with taste to it." Deb commented as they laughed.

* * *

Nathan stepped off of the elevator and headed for his office. He has been out of the office for the past month, and now that his mom was safe at home with Haley, he felt it was the right time to come back to work. Her physical therapy has been going fast and great. Dr. Morrison said she probably wouldn't be walking around by herself for at least a few months, but she is. He knew his mom. When she was determined to do something, she did it. She wanted her life back, and she wanted to be able to run and play with her grandchild. She still required some help. She couldn't walk for long periods of time, and she needed a little extra help walking up and down any stairs. But, it wouldn't be long before she was probably outrunning both him and Haley. "Hey, Stephanie." He greeted.

"Hey, Nathan. How was your meeting?" She asked politely.

"Well, it was a meeting. What more can I say about it?" He stated causing her to laugh. "So, do I have any messages?" He asked.

"No. I talked to Haley awhile ago, and everything seems to be going well with your mom." Stephanie answered.

"Okay, thanks." He said turning to head into his office.

"Umm, Mr. Scott." She called before he went in. He turned back to her waiting for her to continue. "Haley did ask me to give you a message. She said to tell you that she was right and you were wrong." She said.

"What?" He asked confused.

"She said to tell you all of those pictures and videos she took of you two and Lexie that you made fun of her for came in handy today. She said your mom was extremely appreciative of them. So, she just told me to make sure you know you're wrong." She said.

"My wife's a funny girl, isn't she?" He said laughing.

"That she is." She agreed joining him in the laughter.

"Thank you, Stephanie. I think I'm just going to go into my office and give that funny wife of mine a call." He said before disappearing into his office.

Deb was feeding Lexie in her high chair while Haley was running around cooking the two of them some lunch. She chuckled still getting used to the domestic side of Haley. "What's so funny?" Haley asked.

"You. You're taking after your mom. She loved to cook. Me-I'm a take out girl, or I have someone else cook for me." Deb said.

"Yeah, I've kind of picked up the habit after Nathan and I got married." Haley responded.

"Do you bake when you're upset, as well?" Deb asked.

"Yes, I do. You can just ask Nathan about that one." Haley answered as she and Deb laughed just as Haley's phone began to ring. "Deb, would you mind answering that for me?" Haley asked. Deb nodded and picked up her phone. She noticed the caller id read Nathan. She hit the send button. "Hi, honey." She greeted.

"Oh, hey, mom. How are you doing?" He asked surprised his mother picked up.

"I'm doing great. How are you?" She responded.

"I'm doing great. Mom, is Haley anywhere near you?" He asked.

"Yes, she's making us some lunch. Do you want to talk to her?" She asked.

"Yes, please. Thanks, mom." He said.

"No problem, honey. Let me get her for you." She said. "Haley, Nathan wants to talk to you." She said as Haley walked over to her taking the phone out of her hand. "Hello." She greeted.

"Well, hello, my funny wife." He greeted.

"Oh, so, you talked to Stephanie, did you?" She remarked.

"Yeah, you are really hilarious, you know that." He commented.

"It's not my fault that you were wrong, Nathan. I think this is just your karma. You really shouldn't make fun of your loving wife." She said. Deb listened to their phone call. Obviously, she could only hear Haley's side of it, but she could definitely hear the flirtateous banter between her son and daughter-in-law. She continued to listen as she watched Haley's facial expressions. She watched as her face lit up, and she watched the blush that covered it. She smiled before focussing her attention back to Lexie while Haley finished her phone call with Nathan.

Nathan pushed end on his cell phone and set it down on his desk. He chuckled before focussing his attention on the papers sitting on his desk. "Mr. Scott, Rachel's here to see you." Stephanie said through the intercom. Nathan could hear the venom in her voice as she said this and couldn't help but laugh. He sighed before telling her to go ahead and send Rachel in. Not even two seconds later, Rachel came barging into his office. "Nathan! It's so good to see you. It's been awhile." She exclaimed.

"Hey." He greeted annoyed. "What are you doing here, Rachel?" He asked.

"Well, I thought we could catch up-you know try to mend our friendship." She suggested.

"Did you not read my text message completely or did you just disregard everything I wrote?" He asked.

"No, I read it. I know you said you were focussing on Haley and Lexie and couldn't deal with me right now, but I thought we could just try going out to lunch. The only way we're ever going to rebuild our friendship is by actually working on it." She said.

"Rachel, I have a billion other things on my mind right now. And to be honest, I don't know if I really want to rebuild our friendship. You completely disregard everything I say. I tell you to give me some time, and you don't. I tell you not to ever come back to Tree Hill, and you're here. I ignore your messages and text messages, and look, you're in my office. This is over, Rachel. I'm not dealing with this anymore, and I'm not putting Haley through it anymore. My mom's awake and staying with me and Haley. She's still recovering, and my focus needs to be on my family-not you. I can't make you leave, but I can keep you away from me and my family. I don't know how else to tell you to leave me alone. But please do. Now, I have to get back to work. You can see yourself out." He said getting right back to work.

Rachel stared at him shocked for a few minutes before turning to leave. "Nathan, I won't give up. I miss you, and I want our friendship back. I'll back off, but just know, I'm still here. And when Haley leaves you after the five years are up, I will still be here waiting. I will never leave you. I love you." She stated before leaving the office completely.

* * *

Nathan opened the door to a dark house. He rumaged through the fridge for a quick snack before making his way up the stairs. He passed by the guest bedroom and saw the door shut and knew his mother was asleep. He went into the nursery and saw Lexie fast asleep. He smiled at the sight before closing the door a bit and making his way to the bedroom. He walked in closing the door behind him and saw Haley wasn't in there. He heard the shower running and pushed open the door. He smirked as he saw her silhouette behind the glass door. He watched as the water cascaded down her naked form. Before he realized what he was doing, he stripped out of his clothes and opened the shower door stepping inside and closing the door behind him. He placed his hands on her waist and felt her jump a bit in surprise before he planted kisses on the side of her neck. "What are you doing?" She asked quietly.

"Trying to turn my wife on-it seems to be working." He smirked when he heard her breathing increase.

"We can't do this, Nathan." She mumbled unconvincingly.

"Right? Didn't you say that when we were in Florida, too?" He stated sucking on her skin more forcefully as she let out a loud moan.

"Your mom is right in the next room." She said.

"So? We did it with Lexie sleeping right in the same room." He countered moving his hands up to caress her breasts.

"Lexie was five months old and didn't know what was going on. Your mom will definitely know what's going on when she hears me screaming your name." She retorted still revelling in the feeling of his hands on her. She was wondering why she wasn't shutting the hell up. She wanted this. Only he could make her feel this way, and he was so damn good at it.

"That's true." He said pulling back slightly before turning her to face him and roughly pushing her back against the wall in the shower. "You will be screaming my name." He smirked before taking full possession of her lips. After a few minutes, he could feel her pull back slightly. He knew she was going to try stopping them once again, and he needed to stop her first. "Haley, please. It's been a rough month. I need to relieve some stress. I need you." He said softly. He breathed a sigh of relief as she nodded her head in understanding. This time, it was she who pulled him in for a kiss. Instantly, he latched onto her thighs and hoisted her up as she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist. He didn't hesitate a second longer before plunging deep inside of her causing him to push her roughly into the wall. They found a fast-paced rhythm with one another. She met him thrust for thrust as her back continued to slide against the wall. She gripped onto his shoulders tightly and watched as he rested the palms of his hands on each side of her causing his angle to shift and go deeper within her. "Oh, God, Nathan." She moaned out loud.

"I know." He breathed out feeling the effects of his new angle just as greatly. He could feel her body reacting, and he quickened the pace of his thrusts wanting to get her to her peak. After just a few more thrusts, he felt her body shutter as she called out his name in pleasure. Hearing her scream his name was his undoing. They stopped their movements and waited for their bodies to come down off their high. A couple seconds passed and he gently lowered her back down to the shower floor. She smiled up at him, and he couldn't resist leaning in for another lingering kiss. He pulled away and smirked down at her. "I guess, we should finish with the actual shower now." He said.

"I guess so." She agreed with her own smirk.

* * *

Deb awoke the next morning. She glanced over at the alarm clock and saw it read seven o'clock. She decided to get up and make breakfast for Nathan and Haley. She knew Nathan would be waking up soon to get ready for work. And she knew Haley would be waking up any minute as well considering Lexie slept all through the night. And she knew that baby girl would be crying herself awake very soon. She climbed out of the bed and walked out of the bedroom. She snuck a peak into the nursery to make sure Lexie was still asleep which she was. She then, very quietly, opened the door to Nathan and Haley's room to check and see if they were also still asleep. She walked further into the bedroom and noticed them cuddled together. Nathan was sleeping on his back bare chested. Haley's front was draped across his chest. The comforter had fallen down revealing her naked back with his arm resting on top of it. Deb gently inched her way out of the bedroom quietly shutting the door behind her.

Nathan made his way down the stairs and heard noises coming from the kitchen. He walked into the room and was surprised to see his mom cooking. "Mom, what are you doing?" He asked.

"I thought I would make breakfast for you and Haley." She answered.

"You were making breakfast? As in actual food?" He asked.

"Hey, I can cook, Nathan. I just chose not to all those years." She retorted.

"Okay, whatever you say, mom." He said laughing. "Wait, did you come down the stairs all by yourself?" He asked realizing she was down here alone.

"Yes, I did. It was an interesting journey, but I made it." She stated proudly. He quickly walked over to her and enveloped her in a hug. "That's so great!" He exclaimed.

"What's so great?" Haley asked walking into the kitchen breaking their embrace.

"My mom walked downstairs by herself." Nathan answered.

"What? That's so awesome, Deb!" Haley exclaimed.

"Yeah. It was such an awesome feeling." Deb said.

"So, what's going on?" Haley asked.

"I'm making breakfast for the two of you." Deb answered. Haley shot Nathan a quizacle look. He shook his head in disbelief. "Oh, stop it, you two. Come sit down. Stop acting like I'm trying to kill you with my cooking." Deb shot out with a laugh. Nathan and Haley took a seat next to one another on the other side of the island as Deb finished preparing their plates. Haley jumped a bit when she felt Nathan caressing her the exposed skin of her inner thigh where her shorts had ridden up after she sat on the chair. "You okay, Haley?" Deb asked concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just felt a chill." She covered. She knew her face must be as red as a tomato right now. She could feel the blush spread across her face. Deb seemed to accept the answer and went back to what she was doing. Haley shot Nathan a glared as he looked at her with his 'I didn't do anything' smirk of his. "Oh, I almost forgot. I'll be right back." Deb said before rushing out of the kitchen.

"Ouch!" Nathan exclaimed rubbing his arm where Haley hit him. "What was that for?" He asked.

"You know what." She retorted.

"Oh, you didn't like that." He said laughing.

"Yeah, because every girl likes to get felt up with her mother-in-law standing right in the same room." She shot out.

"You had sex with me in the bedroom right next to her. What's the difference?" He said knowing how annoyed she would be with him for throwing that in her face. She scoffed at him before turning her head back the other way. Not even a second later, she felt his hand once again caressing her inner thigh. Only this time, he inched it a little further up. "Stop it, Nathan!" She scolded pushing his hand away.

"It's kind of exciting. It feels like we're living under our parents roof trying not to get caught." He smirked at her. "Admit it, Hales, you kind of like it." He whispered seductively placing his hand back to where it was before she pushed it away. He took advantage of the fact that she didn't push it off of her right away and glided it further up and under her shorts.

"Sorry, I forgot I put a load in the washer." Deb stated returning back to the kitchen. Haley quickly pushed Nathan's hand away from her and readjusted herself in her chair. She could feel his eyes on her but tried her best to ignore him. "Deb, you don't need to do that. You're not living here to cook and clean for us." She said.

"I know, but I want to. It's helping me get back to normal." Deb stated as Haley nodded her head in understanding. A minute later, she placed two plates of food down in front of them. "Now, eat up. Trust me-it's good." She reassured.

An hour later, Nathan came back downstairs with Lexie and found his mom and Haley cleaning up the mess in the kitchen. "Someone's awake and wants to see her grandma." He said handing Lexie over to his mom.

"Hi, sweetie. How's my precious grandbaby doing?" Deb said bouncing Lexie up and down slightly. "Gosh, I can't get over how adorable she is. She really is perfect." She gushed.

"Yes, she is." Haley agreed.

"Well, mom, thanks for breakfast. I've got to head into work now." Nathan said. He walked over to her and gave her a quick sideways hug. "And goodbye to you, my beautiful little angel." He said to Lexie kissing her gently on the forehead causing her to giggle at him. "Yeah, you're going to miss daddy, aren't you?" He said kissing her one last time on her cheek before walking away.

"I'll walk you out." Haley said.

"Okay. I'll see you later, mom." He said as he and Haley walked out of the kitchen heading towards the front door. They stopped right in front of the door. "Is mommy going to miss daddy, too?" He smirked down at her hovering right in front of her face.

"Not really." She said.

"Really? That's such a shame." He said moving his mouth to the outside of her ear. "Because daddy is sure as hell going to miss mommy." He whispered. He moved his face in front of hers again. He smiled a sincere smile down at her before they both gave in and kissed one another. It was a sweet, sensual kiss. "You need to go to work." She mumbled against his lips.

"I know." He stated kissing her once again. She pulled away after a minute. "You really do need to get to work." She said with a small laugh which he quickly reciprocated. "Fine, I'll go to work." He relented. He kissed her quickly on her forehead before hesitantly walking out of the house.

* * *

"Hello, Brooke. It's wonderful seeing you again." Deb greeted walking into the kitchen.

"Hello, Mrs. Scott. It's nice seeing you, too. How's your recovery going?" Brooke asked politely.

"Very well. I feel almost as good as new." Deb answered taking a seat next to Brooke at the counter. "So, when are you due?" She asked.

"Around June." Brooke answered excitedly.

"Wow! A little less than four months away. Are you nervous?" Deb asked.

"Oh, I'm terrified." Brooke answered as they both laughed. "But a good kind of terrified." She continued.

"You know, you remind me a lot of myself, Brooke." Deb stated.

"I think I'll take that as a compliment." Brooke said.

"You definitely should." Deb said.

"Yup, I see what you mean." Brooke laughed.

"Anyway, what brings you here?" Deb asked.

"Oh, I was bored and couldn't sit around in my house any longer. I decided to come bother Haley." Brooke answered as Deb nodded.

"So, what's going on between my son and daughter-in-law?" Deb asked after a second. Brooke cocked an eyebrow at her in confusion. "Oh, don't give me that look like you don't know what I'm talking about. There's something going on between them. I can sense it." She continued.

"Well, they're married." Brooke stammered out. She wasn't sure of what she should say to Nathan's mom. She didn't want to betray Haley's trust by saying too much.

"Yeah, they're married. They're married with the intention of getting a divorce in a couple years. They swear up and down they're not in love with each other, yet they're sleeping together." Deb said.

"Well, they, umm..."

"I know Haley. She doesn't take sex lightly. And I know my son, I know when he's just 'having fun' and when he actually feels something. I've seen it before, but there's something different about this time. So, what's going on between them?" Deb said.

"Look, I don't know for sure. They're both pretty shut down when it comes to the topic of 'Naley'. But..."

"Naley?" Deb interrupted confused.

"Nathan and Haley-it's a combination of their names. Sorry, I tend to give people weird and crazy nicknames sometimes. But anyway, they're both pretty shut down. But there's definitely something there. They are both just too stubborn and scared of taking that risk and admitting their feelings. But you're right-there's something going on between them." Brooke stated without betraying her friend's trust.

"I figured. So, what are we going to do about it?" Deb asked as she and Brooke smiled mischieviously at one another.

**Okay, there you go. I have to say that I really enjoyed writing this chapter. I kind of love having Deb in this story now. I finished it sooner than I thought I would, but I couldn't sleep last night for the life of me. So, I figured I might as well write. ****But anyway, let me know what you guys think. Also, thank you coachmom for that little catch and tip. Sometimes, I get in such a rush to get the chapters out to you guys that I don't take the time to fully read through them before I do so. I appreciate it! Well, I should have another chapter up soon. I don't know when. I'm kind of busy with work this week. But, work is the only thing I'm busy with, so I don't think you'll have to wait too long. Hopefully, on Thursday. Until then!**


	24. Chapter 24

"So, how are you holding up?" Haley asked drawing patterns on Nathan's bare chest while he did the same on her back.

"With what?" He asked confused as to what she was talking about.

"I just mean everything with your mom. It's been about a month since she's been released from the hospital. I was just wondering how you're dealing with everything." She explained.

"Oh, I think you know how I'm dealing with everything." He smirked down at her. She slapped his chest lightly causing them both to laugh. "I'm good. It's so nice having her here with us and Lexie." He continued.

"I love watching Lexie and Deb together. I never thought I would get the chance to see Lexie with any of her grandparents. Words can't even express how I feel about seeing that sight. Deb just has this glow on her face when she's with her." She stated.

"I know. I love it, too. I think Lexie acts as a motivation for my mom's recovery as well. She's so determined to start living her own life again. She's practically back to normal." He responded.

"I'm kind of worried about her." She stated.

"Why? Did something happen?" He asked concerned.

"No. It's just...I don't think she's really dealt with the fact that Dan is gone. I know she's trying to focus on her recovery, but I'm afraid she's bottling up her emotions." She explained leaning up slightly so she can be face to face with him.

"I think she's fine." He said.

"Nathan, she lost her husband. They would have been married for thirty years this year. They loved each other so much. You know she's still struggling with it. I can't even imagine having to go through that." She said

"I know. Me either." He said quietly locking his eyes with hers. She slowly leaned forward and kissed him. Their kiss picked up momentum but still remained slow and passionate. He latched onto her waist and pulled her fully on top of him.

"Hey, Nath...oh gosh! I'm so sorry!" Deb exclaimed quickly turning and shutting their bedroom door behind her. Haley buried her face in her hands into Nathan's chest. "Oh God." She mumbled as he just continued laughing. "This isn't funny, Nathan." She shot out.

"Oh, come on, Haley. It is a little funny." He laughed.

"What's so funny about it? Your mom just walked in on us having sex." She retorted.

"Technically, she didn't. She walked in on us about to have sex." He corrected as she scoffed. "Haley, she knows we're having sex. I think she figured that out when she met Lexie." He continued.

"It's one thing to know about it and another to actually see it." She said pushing herself up and out of the bed grabbing his shirt from the previous night and throwing it onto her body.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"I'm going to take a shower." She said walking towards the bathroom.

"You want some company?" He questioned. She didn't say anything. She just kept walking further into the bathroom and slamming the door shut behind her. "I guess not." He laughed as he climbed out of the bed himself. He threw on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt before leaving the room and descending down the stairs.

"Hey, mom." He greeted walking into the kitchen.

"Hey, honey. I'm sorry about that." She said.

"It's fine, mom." He laughed.

"Where's Haley?" She asked.

"Shower." He simply stated as she nodded. "So, what did you want?" He asked.

"Nothing, really. I was just wondering if you were working today." She answered.

"No. I thought about just hanging around here." He said.

"I have an idea. Karen and I were going to have lunch and do some shopping today. How about you and Haley spend the day together. I'll take Lexie with me." She suggested.

"Mom, you don't have to do that. I don't want her to distract you and interrupt any of your plans." He said.

"Lexie would never be a distraction. I want to bring her with me, and I know Karen wouldn't mind either. It's not like we're doing anything big. We're eating and going shopping. I think we can handle having my precious grandbaby with us. And I know you and Haley could use a break. You've both been so great taking care of me. I appreciate it so much. But I know,  
you've got to be exhausted and need a day of relaxation with just the two of you." She said.

"What are you up to?" He asked suspiciously catching her off gaurd.

"What do you mean?" She asked innocently.

"You're up to something. I know that look." He said.

"I'm not up to anything, Nathan. I want you two to have a day without any work, a baby to take care of, or a mother who's living with you. I just want to do something nice for you guys. I know it hasn't been easy having to readjust your lives."  
She stated.

"Mom, we're happy to do it. If having you awake means you living with us for the rest of our lives, we'd take it. It has been everything having you here these past couple weeks. We wouldn't want it any other way. And you don't have to show your gratitude. We know how appreciative you are." He said.

"Honey, please just let me do this for you. When's the last time the two of you did something together?" She questioned.

"Well, last night before we went to bed, we did have..."

"I mean outside of this house, Nathan." Deb interrupted as Nathan laughed. "How does Haley put up with you?" She joked joining him in laughter.

Half an hour later, Nathan walked back into the bedroom and found Haley rummaging through her drawers in just a towel with her semi-wet hair cascading down passed her shoulders. "Hey." He greeted coming up to stand behind her. She turned around to look at him. "Hey." She greeted back.

"So, my mom's going to take Lexie with her for the day. She and Karen are meeting for lunch and then going to do some shopping." He stated.

"Oh, okay. Well, good for her. She needs to get out of the house and do something." She replied.

"And I was going to stay home today." He said.

"Okay." She stated not understanding where he was going with this.

"Yeah, she's going to have Lexie all day." He continued.

"Okay." She repeated still not understanding. He couldn't help but chuckle. For such a smart girl, she could be rather dense sometimes. "What?" She asked confused as to why he was laughing.

"Haley James Scott, how would you like to spend the whole day together-just you and me? You see, my mother is taking our daughter with her for the day, and I'm taking the whole day off of work." He relented.

"Oh." She said finally clueing in.

"There you go." He laughed. "About time you finally realized what I was talking about." He continued.

"Shut up. I'm tired, okay." She defended.

"That's such a horrible excuse. Were you really the valedictorian?" He joked.

"Whatever." She scoffed turning back around. In an instant, she was whipped back around and picked up off of the floor. She yelped in surprise as he carried her over to their bed placing her down on top of it. He stayed standing on the floor in between her legs which were wrapped around his waist. "I was thinking we could drive up to Charlotte." He said kissing her.

"And do what?" She questioned.

"I don't know." He mumbled against her lips.

"You want to drive all the way to Charlotte, and you don't even have something specific in mind." She laughed.

"I was actually just thinking about getting out of town. We haven't done that since we took Lexie to Florida. I don't really care what we do. I just want to get away from Tree Hill and spend the whole day with my wife." He said.

"I like that plan." She agreed kissing him more forcefully. After a few seconds, he pulled away. "What's wrong?" She asked confused as to why he broke away from their kiss.

"Well, my mom could walk in, Hales. She already caught us once, and I know how embarrassed you were the first time. I don't want to put you through that again." He said smugly.

"You're so funny." She deadpanned. "But you're kind of right. And you need to take a shower anyway. We need to get dressed and start the day." She said jumping off of the bed. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek before disappearing into the closet to find something to wear.

* * *

"So, how's your recovery going?" Karen asked as she and Deb were sitting at the cafe eating lunch.

"Wonderfully. Nathan and Haley have been so great with everything. That's why I offered to take Lexie for the day. I wanted them to have a day off." Deb answered.

"Oh, Deb, you know they don't care at all." Karen stated.

"I know, but I still feel bad. I know they're both exhausted. They're taking care of Lexie and me. They deserve a day away just the two of them-together." Deb said.

"What are you up to?" Karen asked suspiciously.

"What? Nothing. Gosh, what is it with you and Nathan? I'm not up to anything." Deb defended herself.

"I know you, Deb. You're conspiring. Are you trying to get your son and daughter-in-law together?" Karen asked.

"You know how weird that last question of yours sounds." Deb stated as she and Karen laughed. "Anyway, I maybe, just might be trying to help push them in the right direction." She continued. "Don't look at me like that." She said after seeing the look Karen gave her.

"Actually, I agree with you. I support you one hundred percent with whatever plan you have. I've watched them over the years, and I see the love between them. They've grown a lot over the years, and it's because of one another. They've grown together. And I've seen the way Lexie has changed them as well. So, I am completely behind you." Karen stated.

"Good, because that daughter-in-law of yours is also helping me." Deb said.

"Why does that not surprise me?" Karen laughed. "I'm going to go make sure everything is okay, and then, we can go shopping." She said standing up and leaving the table. Deb placed Lexie in her carseat and began fastening her in until a voice sounded. "Excuse me, but are you Deb Scott-Nathan's mom?" Deb turned and noticed a pretty red-head. "Hi. Yes, I am."  
She answered.

"Oh, it's so nice to meet you." The girl stated with a smile.

"And you are?" Deb asked confused.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Rachel. Rachel Gatina. I used to date your..."

"I know who you are." Deb interrupted with a slight edge to her voice catching the girl off-gaurd. "You dated my son for a year. You were the first girl my son actually opened to on a more personal level." Deb continued. Rachel smiled widely at her. "And you were the first girl to break my son's heart." Deb finished causing Rachel's smile to falter. "Is there something I can help you with?" Deb asked curtly.

"Oh, I, umm...I just saw you sitting here and wanted to meet you in person." Rachel stammered out.

"Okay." Deb said disinterested and focused her attention back to fastening Lexie in the carseat.

"She's such a beautiful little girl. She looks so much like Nathan." Rachel said trying to make converstation.

"Really? I think she looks more like Haley. That's where she gets her beauty." Deb commented.

"Yeah, I guess." Rachel mumbled uncomfortably.

"So, what are you doing in Tree Hill? Nathan told me you moved to New York after graduation. What are you doing here?" Deb asked intrigued.

"Oh, I was a model for Brooke's COB fashion show here. I found I really love it here. I'm actually thinking of moving here for good." Rachel answered as Deb looked at her skeptically. Before she could respond, Karen returned and announced they were free to leave. "Well, it was nice to meet you. I guess, I'll see you around town." Deb said politely.

"Nice meeting you, too. Tell Nathan I said hi. Bye." Rachel said before walking out of the cafe.

* * *

"Nathan, what are we doing here?" Haley asked. They arrived in Charlotte a little over an hour ago. They ate lunch before Nathan announced he knew something they could do. They climbed into the car and began their journey. Haley constantly asked him where they were going, but he refused to reveal anything. They had just arrived at their destination, and she instantly wanted to climb back into the car and turn around.

"We're going whitewater rafting!" He exclaimed in excitement.

"Umm, no we are not." She declared.

"Yes, we are." He said sternly.

"No, we are not." She retaliated.

"Come on, Hales. It's the largest artificial whitewater river in the world. It's going to be so much fun." He said as she shook her head. "Haley, you went bungee jumping with me in Hawaii. That was ten times more dangerous than this is." He said.

"Nathan, I am not the outdoor, adventurous type. Did you seem to forget that?" She said.

"You thought the same thing about bungee jumping, but you did it. And you admitted you had fun." He said.

"Yeah, and I also said I would never do it again." She retorted.

"Please, Haley. There's different types of whitewater rafting. We can do one of the easier ones first and see how you feel after. Please. I really want to do this." He pleaded.

"Did Rachel flake out on you doing this as well?" She shot out.

"No. I learned after the bungee experience that she would never be up to doing anything daring. She was too scared. What about you? Are you going to be just like Rachel?" He taunted knowing she'll cave after that comparison.

"You're good." She said catching onto his form of persuasion.

"How good? Good enough for you to say yes?" He asked hopeful. She laughed before hesitating for a moment before finally speaking. "Fine. We can do it." She relented.

"Yes!" He exclaimed hugging her enthusiastically.

"But-we do the easy one first. And if I don't like it, we stop." She said sternly.

"Okay. Fair enough." He agreed. He took her hand and led her to the checkout center as she took a deep breath following close behind.

* * *

"Hey, Deb." Brooke greeted walking into Nathan and Haley's home.

"Hi, Brooke." Deb returned the greeting. She and Karen finished their shopping day a couple hours ago. She returned home and just finished putting Lexie to bed. She heard from Nathan and Haley an hour ago. They told her it would be really late when they returned home. After some heavy debating, she finally convinced them to just check into a hotel and stay in Charlotte for the night. She could handle Lexie. They didn't need to be driving home so late at night.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Brooke asked plopping down on the chair next to the couch Deb was sitting on in the family room.

"Rachel." Deb simply stated. Her interest piqued as Brooke scoffed. "What?" She asked.

"What do you want to know about that bitch?" Brooke asked.

"Well, I ran into her at the cafe earlier today. She introduced herself to me, and..."

"Wait. She and Nathan dated for a year, and you've never met her until now?" Brooke questioned.

"Nope. Nathan invited her to both our Thanksgiving and Christmas get togethers, but she declined. She told him she had her own family things only to find out later, she just stayed in North Carolina the whole time." Deb answered with a scoff.

"That actually doesn't surprise me." Brooke stated.

"So, what's she still doing in Tree Hill?" Deb asked.

"Oh, have I got some stories for you." Brooke revealed as she and Deb got straight to talking.

It was close to midnight when Nathana and Haley checked into the Hilton Charlotte Center City hotel. They were exhausted and ready to relax. They had a great time whitewater rafting. They went on what was known as Adventure Rafting the first round. Once that route was completed, it was Haley who instantly suggested going on the more advanced route known as Rodeo Rafting. They went a few rounds before ultimately deciding it was probably a good idea to get going. They ate a late dinner while making a phone call home. Deb somehow managed to convince them into staying in Charlotte for the night. They were currently relaxing in a nice, hot bath. Nathan was positioned behind her as she was sitting in between their legs resting against his chest. "You sure had fun today. Aren't you glad we went?" He stated.

"Yeah, I am. That was so much fun, Nathan." She replied.

"I had fun, too." He agreed as they fell into a comfortable silence. "You know, I brought up Rachel earlier to convince you to do it. But I meant what I said, Hales. She never would have done anything as daring as bungee jumping or whitewater rafting. Not for me-no matter how much I wanted to or tried to convince her. You did. I mean, I get it. It's not something a lot of people want to do. It is risky and dangerous. So, I do understand. But you agreed only because you knew it was something I wanted to do. That's the difference between you and her. You care. She didn't-never did and never will. Thank you, Haley." He said wrapping his arms tightly around her chest pulling her even closer against him.

"You're welcome." She said resting her head back against his shoulder closing her eyes.

"You tired?" He asked.

"Exhausted." She mumbled sleepily.

"Maybe we should get out of here and go to bed." He suggested as they both stood up and walked into the room. Not even bothering to get dressed, they climbed into the bed. They cuddled closely into each other and quickly fell into a peaceful slumber.

**I am so sorry for the long wait. And I'm sorry for the chapter being much shorter than the others. I am working on the next one, though, right now. Hopefully, I'll have it for you sometime on Sunday. Another round of snow hit where I live. Luckily, it hit very early in the morning, and the sun was shining throughout the afternoon. A lot of the snow has already melted. But anyway, let me know what you think. And until next time!**


	25. Chapter 25

"Hey, dad. Hey, mom." Haley greeted taking a seat on the grass in front of her parents' two headstones placing some flowers in front of each of them. "I know it's been awhile. Things have been kind of hectic. Deb's awake. It's pretty amazing actually. Nathan and I never thought that would happen. Words can't really describe how it feels to have her back in our lives-and in Lexie. It's so wonderful to see Lexie interacting with at least one of her awesome grandparents. I wish all of you could be here, though-you two and Dan. I wish our whole family could be here together. It's getting easier day by day, but it's still hard. I miss you guys. Dad, I miss your overprotectiveness. I miss my hero. I'll always be daddy's little girl much like Lexie is with Nathan. Mom, I miss your guidance. And I miss our girl talks about any and everything. I miss both of you so much. And I miss Dan's jokes. I miss our family. But I know you guys are watching over us. I still feel your presense around me sometimes. Whenever I'm trying to make a decision about something, I'll just close my eyes and wait until I sense you. I still rely on your guidance. It is nice to have Deb here for that, too. It's nice to be able to talk to her. She was always like a second mother to me. I still wish you guys can be here, though. I love you both so much. Well, I better go. Nathan's birthday is tomorrow, and I need to go shopping for his present. I'll come back soon. I love you. Bye." Haley said standing up and leaving the cemetary.

* * *

"So, do you have any big plans for your birthday?" Lucas asked as he was sitting in Nathan's office.

"Not really. I kind of just want to spend a relaxing day at home." Nathan answered.

"You're going be twenty-seven. Damn, Nate, you're old." Lucas joked.

"You're not too far behind me-one more year for you." Nathan countered as they both laughed. "Anyway, how's Brooke feeling and everything. She's what-eight months now?" He asked.

"Yup. It's almost time. She's fine. She's not so crazy anymore like she was those first few months which is such a relief. Now, she mostly complains about wanting the pregnancy to finally be over. Did Haley get that way towards the end?" Lucas asked.

"Honestly, I don't know. If you remember, we weren't exactly the 'happy' couple at that time. We were fighting a lot, and we didn't really talk a lot about what she was feeling during that time. It I could go back and change at least one thing-it'd be that. I would have communicated better with her about the pregnancy. I would have made a better effort. Looking back at how I was during that time-gosh, Luke, I just wish I could take it all back." Nathan replied regretfully.

"It's over and done with, Nathan. No use in beating yourself up over it. Look at you and Haley now-you're happy and communicating with one another. I say, put it in the past. Forget about it. If Haley still held it against you, she probably wouldn't be so open and caring towards you. She forgives you, Nate. Now, it's time for you to forgive yourself." Lucas said.

"You're right." Nathan agreed hesitantly.

"So, have you heard from Rachel lately?" Lucas asked tentatively.

"No. And I am very thankful for that." Nathan answered.

"I'm glad you're cutting her out of your life, Nathan. And I know it wasn't easy considering how close you guys used to be. And I'm sorry for that, but at the same time, I'm not. She's trouble, and I don't trust her. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but it's not intended to be. I just don't want to see you get hurt again, and I don't want to see Haley get hurt anymore than she already has been because of her. Your friendship with her is not worth losing Haley or Lexie over." Lucas stated.

"I know that. And I would never let that happen now." Nathan said.

"So, you really don't have anything planned for your birthday?" Lucas asked changing the subject.

"Nope." Nathan answered.

"Nothing?" Lucas asked once again.

"What do you expect me to do, Luke? I have a fourteen month old at home. My mom's living with us. And I have Haley. What would I be doing?" Nathan said.

"I just, I guess I thought you might go out or something. I thought you and Haley might have some kind of plans." Lucas said.

"Well, we don't." Nathan said.

"Well, your birthday isn't until tomorrow. Maybe Haley has a surprise for you." Lucas said.

"I don't think so. We've both been pretty busy. But if she does, I hope it's not a party or anything. I really don't feel like going out and being with a bunch of people. I want to go into work, go home, and spend the evening with my family." Nathan said. Lucas didn't say anything. He just smiled and nodded. "You don't know anything, do you?" Nathan asked.

"What? No." Lucas answered too quickly.

"Lucas, please tell me Haley doesn't have a party planned or anything." Nathan pleaded.

"She doesn't, Nathan." Lucas said as Nathan let out a sigh of relief. "But your mom might." Lucas said.

"What? Seriously? Gosh, I don't want to deal with that." Nathan huffed out annoyed.

"If it makes you feel any better-both Haley and I tried to talk her out of it. We did convince her to reduce the party down to just dinner with all of us." Lucas said.

"That's better, I guess. You guys I can handle-everyone else, no." Nathan said.

Nathan returned home a little later that evening. He had missed so much work over the past couple of months, and he decided to stay and try to catch up on some paperwork. He walked into the house and heard the faint sound of the television. He walked into the living room and spotted his mom sitting on the floor playing with Lexie. He moved his line of sight towards the couch and saw Haley sprawled across it sleeping. "Hey, mom." He greeted.

"Hey, honey. You're home kind of late-it's passed ten." Deb said looking at the clock.

"Yeah. I had lots of paperwork. Hey, sweetie." He said swooping Lexie up into his arms kissing her on the cheek as she let out a giggle.

"So, how was work?" Deb asked.

"Fine. I was basically confined in my office all day." He answered handing Lexie back to his mom before walking over to the crouch. He crouched down in front of Haley and brushed some fallen hair out of her face. She stirred awake slightly looking at him. "Hey, you're home." She said quietly.

"Hey. I think it's time for you to go bed." He whispered with a laugh.

"Well, maybe if someone didn't come home so late." She commented.

"Aww, did you miss me?" He said leaning closer to her face.

"Always." She played along as her eyes drifted shut again.

"I think it's time for someone to go to sleep." He said standing up. He bent over and picked Haley up. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. "I'm going to take her upstairs." He told his mom.

"Okay, we'll be here." Deb responded as she watched Nathan carry Haley out of the living room. "Oh, Lexie, what are we going to do with your very stubborn parents?" Deb said as Lexie looked up to her and laughed.

Nathan walked into their bedroom and carried Haley over to their bed. He pulled back the comforter and layed her down on the bed. He gently tucked her in before kissing her on the forehead. "I missed you today." Her small voice sounded causing him to move down to look her in the eye. "I know. Sorry, I had so much paperwork accumulated over the past couple of months to work on. How was your day?" He whispered.

"It was fine. Lexie and I had lunch with Brooke today. She's definitely over the whole pregnancy thing." She answered with a slight laugh.

"Yeah, Lucas came by the office today. We talked a little about her." He said.

"Are you ready for your birthday?" She asked.

"Sure. By the way, I heard about our little family dinner we're having." He said.

"Hey, I tried to talk your mom out of doing anything. I knew you just wanted to stay home." She said.

"Thanks for trying. Oh well, it's just dinner. At least it's not a party. Anyway, go ahead and go back to sleep." He said.

"Will be joining me soon?" She asked hopeful.

"Yeah. I'm just going to put Lexie to bed and take a quick shower. I'll be back up soon." He answered kissing her chastely on the lips before leaving the bedroom.

* * *

"Hello, Stephanie. How are you doing today?" Nathan asked stepping off of the elevator.

"Hi, Mr. Scott. I'm great. How are you doing on your birthday?" She asked.

"Oh you know, I'm here. So, are there any meetings scheduled for today?" He asked.

"Nope. Your day is pretty clear." She answered.

"Good. I still have so much paperwork to catch up on." He said relieved before heading to his office.

"Mr. Scott." She called stopping him. "Someone left a birthday present for you." She said. He definitely caught the disdain in her tone as she said this. He walked back over to her desk as she handed him the present. "Who's it from?" He asked.

"Rachel." She spit out in disgust.

"Thanks." He said rolling his eyes before walking away and disappearing into his office. He sat down at his desk placing the present on top of it. He hesitated before picking it up and ripping the wrapping paper off of it. He looked inside and saw two tickets to the final home Charlotte Bobcat game. He noticed a note and began reading.

_Dear Nathan,_

_I know you told me to leave you alone, but I wanted to get you something for your birthday. I want you to know that I'm still here, and I'm still thinking of you. I know the Bobcats are your favorite team. I was hoping we could go to their last game together. Maybe we can work on rebuilding our friendship. We can make a day out of it. We can drive up to Char__lotte, have lunch, go to the game, have dinner, and then come home. It will be like that day we went when I first arrived in Tree Hill. It will be a lot of fun. I hope you consider this. I miss you._

_Love,_  
_Rachel._

Nathan sighed as he set the note off to the side placing the tickets on top of it. He wasn't in the mood to deal with Rachel right now or at all. All he wanted was a nice relaxing day. He looked at the two stacks of paperwork sitting on his desk. He let out a small groan before pulling the first set off of the pile setting it down in front of him.

* * *

"Nathan, I'm going to go out to lunch now if that's okay." Stephanie's voice sounded through the intercom three hours later.

"Okay, have a nice time." He said pushing the intercome button.

"Did you want me to bring you back something?" She asked politely.

"No. I'm going to grab something on my way home from work, but thanks." He said.

"Okay, I'll see you later." She said.

"Bye." He said before pulling off another set of papers. His two stacks was now diminished to just one. His focus was broken when he heard the door to his office opening. He looked up and instantly smiled when he saw Haley. "Hey, what are you doing here?" He asked as she strode further until she was standing directly in front of his desk.

"I have a surprise for you." She stated.

"Okay, what is it?" He asked.

"I brought you some lunch." She said revealing some food from the cafe.

"Thanks. I'm starving." He said.

"I figured. I ran into Stephanie when I stepped off of the elevator. She said you told her not to bring you back anything. Nathan, you are so stubborn." She laughed.

"Hey, at least you know me, though." He stated with a smug look.

"You're lucky I do." She said. For the next half hour, they ate and talked. "I have a couple more surprises for you." She said as he looked at her intrigued. He watched as she turned around so that her back was facing him as she rummaged through her purse. "What are you looking for?" He asked.

"Nothing anymore. I found it. Close your eyes." She instructed.

"Why?" He asked.

"Just do it, Nathan." She ordered. He did as he was told. He heard her shuffling towards his desk. He listened and felt as she swung her legs over his and jumped on top of his desk. "Okay, you can open your eyes." She said. He opened them and smiled when he saw her holding a cupcake with a single lit candle in it. "Happy birthday, Nathan. Make a wish." She said. He closed his eyes for a couple seconds before blowing the candle out. "Thanks, Haley. My favorite." He commented as she handed the cupcake over to him as he immediately took a bite out of it.

"I know." She said. "So, it looks like you already received one present." She commented pointing to where the tickets Rachel got him were laying. He felt his body tense slightly afraid of her reaction. "Who are those from?" She asked.

"Rachel." He answered hesitantly.

"What?" She asked annoyed.

"Yup, I got here and Stephanie said she left it for me." He said. He watched as she picked them up. She noticed the note laying underneath them and picked that up as well and began reading it. He watched the many emotions spread across her face. He watched as she finished reading and place the note back down on his desk. He waited for her to say something-  
anything, but she didn't. "Haley, are you okay?" He asked cautiously.

"I remember that day." She said quietly.

"What day?" He asked confused.

"The day the two of you went to Charlotte for a Bobcats game. I was pregnant with Lexie. I remember waking up surprised at how early you were up. And when you told me you were taking the day off of work, I was so excited. I thought we would spend the day together. And then, you told me you were spending the day with Rachel." She revealed quietly.

"I'm so sorry, Haley. I was such an asshole. I didn't know you were feeling left out, and I didn't realize how much time I was spending with Rachel. I'm sorry." He said placing his hands on her hips.

"It's okay. So, have you told Rachel yes yet?" She asked.

"Nope. I'm actually going to give the tickets to Landon-you know the head of our human resources department. He's a huge fan of the Bobcats. And he recently started dating this girl who's really into sports as well. I figured they would both enjoy them." He said surprising her.

"Nathan, if you want to go, I'll understand." She said.

"I know. But I don't really want to go. I haven't watched any of the games this season, so I don't really care all that much this year." He stated. She nodded her head softly. "And for the record, Haley. If I did want to go, I'd ask you to come with me or take Lucas if you didn't want to." He said. She couldn't stop the smile that etched along her face.

"Speaking of presents, I have something for you." She stated with a mischievious grin plastered on her face.

"Oh, yeah, what's that?" He asked intrigued. He watched as she jumped off of his desk. She stood in front of him and held out her hand. "Come with me." She says. He places his hand into hers as she leads him over to the couch in his office. She lightly pushes him down onto it. She smirks at him while unzipping her hoodie revealing some red laced, see-through lingerae. His eyes stayed plastered to her body and watched as she unbottoned her jeans and very sensually glided them down her legs revealing a matching pair of red, lacy panties. She stepped out of her jeans and moved forward and straddled his legs. "Are you ready for your birthday present?" She smirked.

"Oh, there's more?" He asked jokingly.

"Only if you really want it. I know how you like to give away your presents." She countered as he playfully glared at her.

"Oh, I think I'll keep this one." He smirked.

"Good, because I can't return it." She said before capturing his lips with hers. It didn't take long for him to flip her over so she was lying with her back down against the couch. They wasted no time shedding out of their clothes and joining together as one. After several minutes, they both reached their peak. He slowed his movements down kissing her gently. "Happy birthday, Nathan." She breathed out.

"Best birthday ever." He smirked at her before kissing her once again.

* * *

Another month passed. Nathan and Haley continued to grow even closer, and Nathan continued ignoring Rachel. She was pretty upset to learn what he did with the tickets she bought him. He was hoping after she found out, she might take the hint. But she didn't. She still continued to get into contact with him, and he continued to ignore her. He pushed all thoughts of her out of his mind. His thoughts were focused on his three favorite girls. They were all that mattered to him at the moment.

"Hey, mom." He greeted walking into the kitchen. He noticed her sitting at the island while he pulled a mug out of the cabinet and filled it with some freshly made coffee.

"Hey, sweetie. I'm glad you're up. I need to talk to you about something." She stated.

"What's wrong?" He asked concerned.

"Nothing's wrong, honey." She reassured quickly.

"Okay, what's going on?" He asked.

"I'm moving out. It's time, Nathan." She revealed.

"Mom, you don't have to. You know Haley and I don't mind having you here with us." He said.

"I know that, honey. And I am so grateful for everything you and Haley have done for me ever since I woke up. And I've loved staying here with you two and Lexie. But I'm completely recovered. It's time for me to get back to living my own life. And it's time for you and Haley to get back to your own lives. I need to learn how to live on my own again. I need to start rebuilding my life. And that starts with moving back into your father and my house." She stated.

"Okay, if this is really what you want, then, I'm completely behind you. But just know, that you don't have to go." He said.

"I know, but I want to. But I still want to see my precious granddaughter all of the time. And you and Haley better bring her over to me anytime you need a break or just want to go out and do something. You understand me?" She said sternly.

"Yes, maam." He agree as they both laughed. He pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm going to miss you, mom." He said.

"I'm going to miss you, too. I love you." She said.

"I love you, too." He said. Their hug was interrupted a few seconds later as Haley came rushing into the kitchen. "It's time, Nathan!" She exclaimed.

"Time for what?" He asked confused.

"Brooke! She's having the baby!" She exclaimed. "Come on, we have to get to the hospital."

"Mom, do you mind watching Lexie for awhile?" He asked.

"Of course not. Go and see Lucas and Brooke. Call me with the details." She said as Nathan and Haley rushed out of the house.

* * *

"Nathan. Haley. I would like you to meet your goddaughter, Faith Elizabeth Scott." Brooke introduced handing the baby over to Haley.

"She's so beautiful. She looks so much like you, Brooke. Thanks for her name." Haley said.

"Well, you named your daughter after me. It's only fair I name mine after you. Besides, you're my best friend and I kind of love you." Brooke said. After a few minutes, Haley passed Faith over to Nathan. Her heart about melted at the scene. After Lexie, she discovered there was nothing sexier than seeing Nathan hold a baby in his arms. She had to admit to herself that she was completely turned on by him right now. She watched the way he interacted with Faith and couldn't stop the smile that spread over her face.

Later that night, Nathan and Haley arrived home from the hospital. They talked with his mom and spend some time with Lexie before they all decided to get to bed. Haley was laying in their bed waiting for Nathan to finish in the bathroom. She saw the bathroom door open and watched as Nathan walked out. He was wearing boxers-nothing else. She ran her eyes down his perfectly toned body. She moved her eyes back up his body until she reached his extremely handsome face. She watched as he climbed into the bed. Nathan smirked. He definitely caught the way his wife checked him out. He saw the look of pure lust run through her eyes. He caught her gaze and leaned forward capturing her lips with his. The passion between them practically exploded. They undressed one another quickly and frantically. They roamed each others bodies before he finally couldn't take anymore and joined them as one. His thrusts were fast and hard. She gripped his shoulders tightly. "God, Nathan!" She moaned loudly.

"I know." He groaned quickening his pace even more. He knew he was close to finishing and wanted Haley to get there first. He glided his hand down her body until reaching her most intimate spot and rubbing her fast and harshly. Her moans grew louder and more frequent. As suspected, he felt her shuddering underneath him quickly. Watching and feeling her come undone was his undoing. He rested his forehead against her damp skin as they waited for their breaths to calm down. He leaned slightly up and began planting small kisses along her shoulder. "I want another baby." He heard her say. He immediately moved up to look into her eyes. "What?" He asked unsure if he heard her correctly.

"I want another baby, Nathan." She repeated.

"Are you serious?" He asked.

"Yes, very serious." She stated. He instantly captured her lips once again in a demanding kiss. She felt him grow hard within her. She began to girate her hips to let him know what she wanted. He caught on quickly considering he wanted the same thing. He began thrusting in and out of her again. He was confused for a moment when he felt her pushing on his chest. His back landed flat against the mattress as he watched her move to strattle his hips. She found a steady rhythm and and placed his hands on her hips helping to guide her. "God, this feels so good, Haley." He groaned digging his fingers into her bare skin. He loved this position. He loved when Haley took control like this. He loved knowing and feeling how much she wanted and desired him. He felt her hands push against his chest hard. It would probably be painful if it didnt feel so damn good. Just as before, their orgasms approached quickly and in full force. Within seconds, their orgasms pulsated through their bodies. She collapsed on top of his as they struggled to catch their breaths. He rans his hands up her slick back and moving until he captured her hands within his. "Are you sure this is what you want, Haley?" He questioned again wanting to make sure this was what she really wanted.

"More than anything, Nathan." She reassured. "Do you still want another baby?" She asked timidly.

"More than anything." He responded. They smiled slightly at one another before leaning in for a sensual kiss.

**Okay, there you go. I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think. And again, thank you for all of your awesome reviews. If I haven't said it before, you guys rock! And also thanks to those of you reading but not reviewing. I hope you are all still enjoying this story. I should have another chapter up on Tuesday. Definitely not Monday. I have to work, and then, babysit my adorable nephew. I know I won't have anytime to post anything. But I should be able to on Tuesday. Until then!**


	26. Chapter 26

"Nathan! Nathan, come here!" Haley yelled from the family room. She waited for a few seconds before yelling his name once again.

"What?" Nathan asked rushing into the family room in a panic.

"She's walking! Lexie's walking!" She exclaimed. Nathan immediately directed his attention towards Lexie walking along the carpet. Haley appeared right by his side with her video camera in her hand taping the whole thing. Lexie took a couple steps towards them as they cheered her on. She stopped, looked at them, and giggled as Haley snapped a dozen pictures. "Come on, Lexie, walk over to daddy." Nathan said crouching down while holding his hands out to her. Lexie hesitated for just a moment looking at the them before making her way over to them. Once she reached his hands, he immediately swooped her up in his arms. "Good job, Lexie!" He exclaimed.

"Oh, baby, you did so good!" Haley exclaimed kissing Lexie on her cheek. Haley set her video camera on the mantel of the fireplace directing it towards the whole family room. She rushed to the other end of the room as Nathan set Lexie back down on the ground. "Go get mommy, Lexie." He urged.

"Come on, Lexie. Come to mommy." Haley said as she knelt down on her knees holding her arms out to her. Lexie took some steps towards her with a much faster pace getting a better handle on her balance. "Oh, sweetie! That was such a good job!" Haley exclaimed picking her up. Nathan rushed over to them filled with excitement. "I love you so much, my little angel!" He said kissing Lexie on the her cheek. "Our baby is growing up." Haley mock pounted at him.

"She sure is." He agreed leaning down to kiss Haley on the cheek. Lexie let out a loud giggle at seeing this causing both Nathan and Haley to laugh. "Did you like that, Lexie?" He said showering Haley's cheek with lots of kisses causing Lexie to giggle even more as well as Haley. "Okay, stop." Haley laughed. Lexie held out her hands to Nathan as Haley passed her over to him. "I can't believe she's walking." Haley gushed.

"I know. It feels like just yesterday she was born. You know what this means, right?" He said.

"Yup. We're going to be running all around trying to catch up with her." She said. "Oh, we need to call your mom!" She exclaimed running out of the room. "Mommy and daddy are so proud of you, sweetie!" Nathan gushed hugging the little girl.

Nathan walked into the kitchen half an hour later and found Haley making some lunch for them. Lexie had fallen asleep a few minutes prior and Nathan set her down in her playpen in the family room. "What are you making?" He asked stepping further into the kitchen.

"Chili with some sandwiches. Does that sound good to you?" She asked.

"Sounds amazing." He answered. She stepped away from the stove and moved to the island and began chopping some onions and green peppers. He walked and placed himself behind her while sensually massaging her shoulders. "You're making it just the way I like it." He commented.

"Yup. Spicy. I know how you like it extremely spicy." She said.

"That's not the only thing I like spicy." He said seductively planting light kisses along her neck while she continued doing what she was doing. She finished and tore herself away from him to mix the ingredients into the pot on the stove. She covered the pot with a lid and turned around to face him. "Lexie asleep?" She asked.

"Yup." He answered staring into her eyes.

"That's good. The chili will take at least twenty minutes before it's finished cooking." She stated.

"That's good." He stated walking closer to her.

"Is that enough time for you?" She joked. He smirked at her before pulling her roughly to him assulting her lips with his in a firery kiss. He latched onto her thighs and lifted her up as she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist. He walked them back over to the island setting her down on the surface. He gripped her hips and pulled her flushly against his body causing them both to let out a low moan at the contact. He tore his lips from hers and attached them to her neck sucking vehemetly on her exposed skin determined to leave his mark.

"Oh god! I'm sorry." A voiced exclaimed causing them to break apart. They looked behind them to see Deb standing in the kitchen slightly turned to her side. Haley hastily jumped off of the counter while readjusting her clothes as Nathan did the same with his. "What are you doing here, mom?" He asked.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think I would walk in on anything." She apologized once again.

"You know, maybe you should give us your key back or start knocking before just walking in." He suggested as Haley lightly slapped him on his chest. He shot a look at her and chuckled at her beet red appropriately embarrassed facial expression.

"Well, your wife invited me over for lunch. Considering she knew I was coming, I didn't think anything of just walking in without knocking." Deb countered.

"You knew she was coming." Nathan asked Haley with a slight laugh.

"I kind of forgot after you began assulting me." She whispered to him causing him to laugh harder.

"So, what's for lunch anyway?" Deb asked changing the subject hoping to get passed the uncomfortable situation.

"My favorite-chili!" Nathan exclaimed.

"Nathan, everything's your favorite. Everytime I make something, you claim it's your favorite. You'll eat anything and everything." Haley said.

"Kind of like you when you were pregnant." He retaliated.

"Hey!" She exclaimed.

"Aww, I'm joking, baby." He said kissing her on the cheek. Deb smiled at the scene. She loved seeing her son so affectionate and loving towards a girl. It just makes it so much better that it's with Haley. Observing the two of them over the past few months was everything she hoped for. She wished Dan, Jimmy, and Lydia were alive to whitness it as well. Especially Lydia. This has been her and Lydia's dream since Haley was born. She knew Lydia was watching down on them as well with the same smile etched on her face. She had to admit, though, that it was still a little weird to see the two of them like this. Before she fell into her coma, they did nothing but bicker and drive each other crazy. Now, here she was watching them flirt and kiss and walking in on them about to have sex. As awkward and uncomfortable as that was, she loved it. Because she knew it was because they were in love.

"So, Deb, I hope you are ready to watch your granddaughter walk." Haley gushed breaking Deb out of her thoughts.

"I am! I'm so excited!" Deb gushed.

"Well, I'm thinking she'll sleep through lunch. And, then, she'll wake up and walk for you." Haley said.

"Good." Deb said. "So, is the food about ready? I'm starving." She asked.

"Yup. It's warming up. It should be just a couple more minutes." Haley responded.

After lunch, the three of them journeyed into the family room where Lexie was wide awake laying in her playpen. Nathan lifted her out and set her down on the carpet as Deb positioned herself a few feet away while Haley stood off to the side with her camera. After some coaxing, Lexie finally ventured over to her grandmother who praised her lovingly. After a few more rounds of running around the family room, Lexie was eventually worn out again. They set up a little play area for her on the floor. Deb sat next to her while Nathan was in one of the recliners with Haley sitting in his lap. "I love that sight." Haley whispered gestering towards Deb and Lexie.

"Me too." Nathan quickly agreed. "I want another baby." He whispered so only Haley could hear him.

"Me too. I guess, we'll just have to keep trying." She said.

"Damn it. I suppose if we have to." He joked. "I know what we'll be doing once my mom leaves. Can we just kick her out now?" He asked.

"Stop it, Nathan." She laughed.

"I'm just saying, she's the one who wanted to move out. You know, she's so engrossed with Lexie-she probably won't even notice we're gone." He suggested seductively.

"She'll be gone soon. I think you can wait until then." She laughed.

"I don't know about that." He mumbled as she rolled her eyes.

* * *

"Hey, Brooke. How you feeling, girly?" Haley asked climbing into the opposite side of the bed.

"I'm wonderful. I'm really tired, but wonderful." Brooke answered. "So, what brings you by?" She asked.

"Just checking on my friend-seeing if she needs anything. And wanting to see my precious goddaughter." Haley answered.

"Well, your friend is fine. No, she doesn't need anything except to see you. And your precious goddaughter is sleeping. And we cannot wake her up, because mommy needs some peace and quiet before she wakes up screaming her precious little head off." Brooke said.

"Oh, yes, I know how that one goes." Haley laughed. "Do you want me to stay for awhile so you can get some sleep if she wakes up." She asked.

"No, I'm fine. I'm up. I'm getting the hang of things. I feel bad for COB, though. I feel like I'm neglecting the company and not doing my job." Brooke stated.

"I know. I felt the same way with my company. Of course, it's a little different considering I had Nathan taking over it. Do you want me to go over there and make sure everything is running smoothly." Haley asked.

"Would you mind? That would be wonderful. I just get so worried." Brooke said.

"Absolutely." Haley quickly agreed. "So, where is your adoring husband?" She asked.

"He is helping Keith out at the dealership." Brooke answered.

"Well, do you want me to make you something to eat?" Haley asked.

"Oh, you don't have to do that." Brooke said.

"Shut up, Brooke. What are you in the mood for?" Haley questioned.

"Anything good." Brooke answered.

"Okay. Let's go see what you've got." Haley laughed jumping out of the bed pulling Brooke with her. They made their way into the kitchen as Haley got started right away on cooking while Brooke jumped up on the counter. "So, what's new?" Brooke asked.

"Well, I do have some exciting news." Haley revealed.

"What?" Brooke inquired.

"Lexie started walking!" Haley exclaimed.

"What? Oh my gosh, that's so amazing!" Brooke joined in the excitment.

"I know. It happened yesterday." Haley said.

"Did you tape it?" Brooke asked.

"Well, duh!" Haley said. She pulled out her video camera and handed it over to Brooke before going back to her cooking.

"Oh, she's so cute. That's such a beautiful sight." Brooke gushed watching the video.

"I know. My baby's getting so big. Soon, you'll be dealing with all of this yourself." Haley said.

"So, I've been meaning to ask you something. But things kind of kept getting in the way." Brooke said.

"Okay, what is it?" Haley questioned.

"What was all that talk about a baby with Nathan at Lexie's birthday party?" Brooke asked catching Haley completely off gaurd. "Oh, umm, it was...it was nothing." Haley stammered.

"Didn't sound like nothing. It sounded like you and Nathan were thinking of having another baby." Brooke said.

"No, we aren't. We had an arguement about it the night before. I thought I was pregnant which led to a small fight, but clearly I'm not. And we're over it now. It really was no big deal." Haley lied. Brooke studied her friend's face closely. She couldn't read whether she was lying or not which was strange for her. She could usually read Haley like an open book. She sensed there was more to the story but didn't know how much more. She chose to believe Haley considering how open and honest they've been with one another over the years.

Haley felt horrible lying to Brooke. But she had to. She and Nathan agreed to keep this a secret between them for right now. They didn't want anyone knowing they were trying to have another baby. They didn't want everyone else's input and advice. They didn't want anyone telling them how stupid and careless it was, and they didn't want anyone thinking this meant more than it did. They wanted this to be between them-and them only, because quite honestly, it wasn't anyone else's business. This is something they want, and it doesn't involve anyone else.

* * *

"Hey, are you okay?" Nathan asked walking into the bedroom and noticing his wife somberly laying in the bed. She didn't say anything. But he did notice as she swiped away a tear and grew immediately concerned. He climbed in behind her wrapping his arms tightly around her stomach. "Baby, what's wrong?" He asked quietly.

"Four months." She simply stated.

"What?" He asked confused.

"It's been four months since we've been trying to get pregnant, and nothing." She cried.

"Hales, these things take time. We just have to be patient." He said quietly.

"I know. And I know it takes some women a long time to get pregnant, but I just...I don't get it. I got pregnant with Lexie so fast. We weren't even trying. I was on birth control. But now, I'm off birth control, and we're definitely trying. You'd think considering how often we have sex, I'd be pregnant with triplets." She said causing him to let out a small chuckle. "It's not funny, Nathan." She retorted.

"I'm sorry. Hey, turn around and look at me." He said. She didn't move from her spot. "Haley, look at me." He demanded again softly. She wiped away a tear and slowly turned to face him. He pulled her closer into him cupping her cheeks in his hands. "It's going to happen, Haley. It might take some time, but it's going to happen." He reassured.

"How do you know that, Nathan? What if I can't have any more kids? I did have problems during my labor with Lexie. What if something went wrong causing me to not be able to get pregnant." She said.

"I know, because you were meant to have more kids. I was even meant to have more kids. And you and I together-we were meant to have more kids. Lexie was meant to have a baby brother or a baby sister. We were meant to be a family." He said.

"You really think so?" She asked quietly still full of doubts.

"Absolutely. Have a little faith in me." He said causing her to smile. He leaned forward and kissed her lightly. "Do you have faith in me? Trust me when I say everything will work out as it should." He mumbled against her lips. "Do you trust me?" He asked.

"Yes, I trust you." She said kissing him more fervently. He rolled onto his back bringing her to lay on top of him. "How about we forget about trying to make a baby for one night. Tonight is just about you and me, okay?" He whispered against her lips.

"Sounds like a plan." She agreed pressing her body into him further. "Thank you, Nathan. You always know what to say to me. Thank you for being so patient and understanding with me." She said sitting up. She reached down grabbing the hem of her shirt and hastily throwing it off of her revealing a pale pink lacy bra. She immediately felt her husband reacting underneath her. "God, Haley. You're so damn sexy." He groaned. She smirked down at him and moved her hands to unclasp her bra ripping it from her body. He lifted from the bed pulling her flushly against him capturing her in a kiss. She found the hem of his own shirt and tore it away from his body. He moved his kisses down to her neck and then down to her chest. He didn't stop until he reached her breasts and teased them with his mouth. She let out a loud moan and tugged at his hair holding him to her. After a few seconds, she roughly pushed him back down against the matress as she worked on his belt buckle. Unfastening it, she pulled it out of the loops of his jeans before working on the buttons of his jeans. She moved back taking his jeans with her. She threw them over the side of the bed. Before she could even fully turn back towards him, he pulled her down against the mattress as she let out a surprised squeel. He hovered over her and kissed his way down her body until reaching her shorts. He hooked his fingers into the sides and pulled them, along with her panties, down her shapely legs. He kissed his way back up her legs until he reached the inside of her thigh. "I think you need to relax. Just lay back and enjoy." He whispered against her skin before flicking his tongue against her center causing a moan to escape from her mouth. She gripped the mattress as his strokes became more forceful and fervent. She quickly felt herself slipping into ecstacy and in an instant, she arched her back off of the mattress crying out his name. After finishing, he kissed his way back up her body allowing for her body to calm down. "You feeling better yet?" He asked inching up until he was face to face with her.

"Yeah." She replied still trying to catch her breath. Her breathing hitched once again, though, when she felt him placing hot, open-mouthed kisses along her neck. "God, I want you, Nathan." She moaned.

"You have me." He muttered against her skin. Not wasting a second longer, he plunged roughly into her. She wrapped her legs around his waist digging her heels into him. He moved slightly changing the angle of his thrusts allowing him to go deeper inside her. "You always make me feel better, Nathan." She breathed out.

"I know. You do, too." He agreed quickening his pace. Minutes later, they both felt their orgasms ripping through their bodies as they clung tightly to one another with sweat pouring from their bodies. After calming down, Nathan fell to the bed next to her pulling her into his side. "It will happen, Haley. Just keep the faith." He mumbled kissing her gently on her forehead as she nodded. Seconds later, she heard his breathing even out. She looked up and noticed him fast asleep. She leaned forward slightly. "I love you." She whispered kissing him very lightly on the lips before placing her head onto his chest willing herself to fall asleep.

* * *

Haley waited patiently for Nathan to get home. She had been waiting for him all day. She tried calling his cell phone only to get directed straight to his voicemail. She tried calling the office, but Stephanie said he was in meetings all day and couldn't be reached. Stephanie told her as soon as she talked to him, she would let him know that she called. Haley thanked her and hung up the phone. After a couple of hours, she tried his cell again. It's not that she didn't believe Stephanie, but she really needed to speak to him. She sighed when his voicemail sounded once again.

"Hey, Nathan, it's me. I really need to talk to you about something. Please give me a call as soon as you get a chance. I guess, I'll talk to you later. Bye.

She threw her phone against the couch in frustration. Just then, she heard Lexie begin to cry. "What's wrong, sweetie?" She asked picking Lexie out of her playpen. "Are you hungry? Or are you just missing daddy as much as I am?" She said rubbing her hand gently up and down her back in a soothing comfort. Lexie calmed down some but was still upset. "You're just hungry, aren't you baby?" Haley said carrying her into the kitchen. She placed her in her high chair before mixing a bowl of oatmeal. She fastened a bib around her neck before pulling up a chair in front of her. She took a seat and began feeding her. Lexie instantly calmed down and smiled up at her mother. "Is that good, sweetie?" Haley said in a baby voice.

Once her food was completely gone, Haley threw her bowl and spoon into the sink filling it up with soap and water allowing for it to soak. She unfastened the bib from her neck before pulling her out of the high chair. "It's time for a little bath, isn't it? Isn't it?" She said walking them both upstairs into Nathan and her bathroom. She filled the tub and placed Lexie on the floor while she undressed herself. Once she removed all of her clothing, she shed Lexie out of her clothing as well. She picked her up and carefully climbed into the tub while the two shared a warm, relaxing bath together.

Once their bath was complete, she dried and dressed themselves. Baths always made Lexie sleepy which Haley was trying to make happen. She looked over to her bed and saw Lexie asleep on top of the comforters. Haley smiled at the sight and subconsciously rubbed her stomach. She gently picked her up and walked towards her bedroom. Reaching her room, Haley placed her in her crib. She shut out the light and closed the door leaving it open a crack before walking back to her bedroom. She tried Nathan's cell again only to be directed straight to his voicemail once again. She hung up and finished getting dressed. She crawled into her bed with a book and began reading.

An hour later, she heard feet shuffling up the stairs. Lexie was still sound asleep, and she was incredibly thankful for that. Her face brightened when she saw Nathan walking into the bedroom. "Hey, you're home!" She greeted excitedly.

"Hey." He greeted evenly.

"Why didn't you call me? I have been trying to call you all day." She said jumping out of the bed. She threw her arms around his neck and leaned in to kiss him. She grew confused as he pulled away and detached her arms from around his neck. "What's wrong?" She asked.

"I don't want to have sex right now." He stated.

"I wasn't trying to..."

"In fact, I don't want to have another baby anymore." He revealed shocking her completely.

"What? Why?" She asked.

"I just don't want to. I've been thinking about it a lot lately, and I don't think it's a very smart thing for us to do. You were right when you said we shouldn't drag another baby into the mix of our drama. In less than two years, this marriage is over. I don't think it would be very smart of us to bring another baby into this mess." He said.

"I don't understand. I thought this was what you wanted." She said choking back her tears.

"It's not-not anymore. It was stupid of us to even think of doing it. I think I should move back into the guest bedroom." He revealed.

"I, I just...I don't..."

"It's better this way, Haley." He said as he began gathering some clothes to sleep in. He found what he needed and walked to the door. He looked at her quickly before leaving the bedroom shutting the door behind him.

"I'm pregnant." She revealed sadly sinking to the floor in tears.

**So, how much do you guys hate me right now? LOL! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter-at least until the end! Anyway, let me know what you guys think. I hope to have another update up sometime on Friday. Until then!**


	27. Chapter 27

Haley layed in bed staring up at the ceiling. She'd been basically doing that all night. After she finally stopped crying the night before, she took a hot shower, got dressed, and climbed into bed. She couldn't sleep. She was still thinking about Nathan's words. She was still thinking about his sudden change in attitude. And she was thinking about her unborn baby. Around one in the morning, Lexie started crying. She sat there for a couple seconds praying Lexie would go right back to sleep. That's when she heard Nathan shuffling in the hall making his way to Lexie's bedroom. She layed there quietly, staring up above blankly. After he seemed to have calmed Lexie down, she listened as he shuffled out of her bedroom. She listened as he paused at "their" doorway for a few seconds before continuing on towards the guest bedroom shutting the door behind him.

She turned her head and looked at her alarm clock sitting on her nightstand. It read six twenty-four in the morning. She heard the door to the guest bedroom opening once again. She once again listened as Nathan shuffled his way into Lexie's bedroom. A couple minutes passed by until she heard him shut the door softly and shuffled down the stairs. She listened until she couldn't hear him anymore. She waited for several minutes and realized he didn't seem to coming back up the stairs anytime soon. She heard Lexie start crying, and she let out a sigh before climbing out of the bed and making her way over to her bedroom. "Hey, sweetie. What's wrong baby girl?" She said picking Lexie up out of her crib. Lexie stopped crying but was still somewhat fussy. Haley rocked her gently for a few seconds calming down the little girl. "You hungry?" She asked making her way down the stairs with Lexie in her arms. She braced herself for running into Nathan once she reached the bottom step. Not hearing any indication that he was downstairs, she checked every room finding him missing. She looked out the window and noticed the garage door open and his SUV gone. "Where did he go?" She wondered aloud.

Nathan drove. He just drove. He couldn't sleep all night. He kept thinking about the day before. He was thinking about what happened earlier in the day. And he was thinking about the look on Haley's face when he announced he didn't want to have another baby. The truth was that was farthest from the truth. He wanted a baby, and he wanted another one with Haley. He wanted to be a family with her, but he couldn't. She deserved better than him. He has done nothing but hurt her since the day they got married. She was way too good for him, and he knew he would only end up hurting her. And if all of the things he's done to her since they got married wasn't proof of that, what he found out the day before definitely was. He couldn't believe what he did. He couldn't believe he was so reckless and so irresponsible. And now, he ruined his chance of ever being a real husband to Haley and having a real family with her. So here he was-driving around town. Driving around town so he wouldn't have to face Haley. He was being a coward, but he couldn't face her-not after what he had done.

* * *

"Hey, Nate." Lucas greeted walking into Nathan's office.

"Hey." Nathan greeted distracted.

"You okay?" Lucas asked noticing his cousin's appearance. He looked tired and worn out.

"I'm fine." Nathan answered unconvincingly.

"Are you sure?" Lucas prodded.

"I'm fine, Luke!" Nathan exclaimed as Lucas shot him a look of concern. "Look, I'm fine. Everything is fine."

"Whatever you say. Just know that you can talk to me, Nate." Lucas said as Nathan nodded in understanding. "So, do you want to go grab some lunch with me?" Lucas asked.

"Sorry, Luke, but I can't. I have somewhere I have to be." Nathan answered.

"Oh yeah, where?" Lucas questioned.

"Nowhere important." Nathan dismissed.

"Okay. Well, it looks like you're busy. I'll just see you later." Lucas said.

"Okay, bye, Luke." Nathan said before focussing right back to the papers sitting on his desk in front of him. Lucas watched his cousin with a concerned expression for a couple seconds before giving up and walking out of his office. Lucas pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number as he waited for the elevator. After a couple rings, her cheerful voice answered.  
"Hey, Hales. How are you doing?" He asked.

"Good. What about you?" She asked.

"Good. Hey, do you want to meet me at the cafe for some lunch?" He asked.

"Yeah. I'll have to bring Lexie with me." She said.

"Like that's a problem. I would love to see my goddaughter." He said.

"Okay. So what, in like, five minutes?" She asked.

"Sounds great. See you soon." He said as they exchanged goodbyes before hanging up. The elevator finally chimed as he stepped inside and made his way down. Back in the office, Nathan heard his cell phone alerting him of a new text message. He picked it up and saw it was from Rachel.

_Hey, are you still coming today?_

He sighed before sending her a quick message back.

_Yeah, I'll be there._

He threw his cell phone down onto his desk in frustration before hoisting his elbows up onto his desk while placing his head into his hands. He couldn't believe this was happening. He couldn't believe after finally feeling as if Rachel was out of his and Haley's life completely, here he was. He was once again tied down to her all because he made such a stupid, careless mistake. A mistake that he actually couldn't even remember making.

"So, how are you doing?" Lucas asked as he and Haley found a vacant booth and took a seat. Karen was working today and put their order in as soon as she saw them walking through the door.

"I'm fine." She answered.

"Really? You look a little tired." He commented.

"Thanks. You know that's just a polite way of saying you look like crap." She said.

"No, that's not what I meant. I..."

"I'm joking, Luke." She cut him off with a laugh. "Truthfully, I am tired. I didn't get any sleep last night. I've just had a lot on my mind." She continued.

"Is everything okay?" He asked concerned.

"Yeah, everything's fine." She lied.

"You're just like Nathan." He commented.

"What? Why?" She asked confused.

"He said the same thing today. Did you guys have a fight or something?" He asked.

"No. We both just didn't get much sleep last night. We're fine-just tired." She said. Lucas knew there was more to what she was saying. He knew there was more to what Nathan was saying. He realized he couldn't push them into talking. They were both as stubborn as two people could possibly be. "So, how's Faith?" She asked changing the subject.

"Wonderful. Gosh, Hales, I love her so much." He said.

"I know. Isn't it the most amazing feeling?" She said.

"Yeah, I now understand how Nathan feels." He began and didn't notice the way Haley tensed. "He told me how much having a baby can change your perspective on life and everything. He said having Lexie changed him and the guy he used to be. He said it's the most amazing feeling he's ever experienced." He continued.

"Yeah. It's pretty amazing how much he has changed since having her. Gosh, it's pretty amazing how much I've changed since having her. I love her so much. I know exactly how you and Brooke feel." She said. "Speaking of, how is Brooke adjusting with going back to work?" She asked.

"She's adjusting. She has kind of taken a step back from COB and spending more time with Faith." He answered.

"I know how that one goes. You know, I love the company, but I just can't seem to go back to work since I had Lexie. I still follow everything that's going on, and Nathan and I discuss everything and make all of the decisions together. I just can't leave her. And now, even moreso." She said.

"What does that mean?" He asked confused by her last statement.

"What?" She asked.

"You said even moreso now. What did you mean by that?" He asked again.

"Oh, umm, nothing. I just meant with her starting to walk and everything, I don't want to miss a single moment." She covered and was relieved when Lucas seemed to accept that answer.

* * *

Haley layed in bed once again staring up above at the ceiling. It was seven passed eleven, and Nathan still wasn't home. She hadn't seen or heard from him since the night before. She had put Lexie to bed about an hour ago and walked straight into her bedroom and crawled into the bed. She's been in the same position ever since. She heard the feet shuffling up the stairs but didn't break out of her transe. She listened as the feet shuffled over to Lexie's room for a few seconds before retracing the previous steps. "Hey." He said quietly.

"Hey." She returned the greeting without looking away from the ceiling.

"How long has Lexie been asleep?" He asked.

"A little more than an hour." She simply stated showing no emotion. Nathan sighed from his spot in the doorway. Why did everything have to be so awkward and uncomfortable? He hated it. And he hated himself. He walked a little further into the room hesitantly. "How was your day?" He asked lamely.

"Is there something you want, Nathan? Because if not, would you mind leaving? I'm kind of tired." She said finally showing some type of emotion. However, her eyes never left the ceiling.

"I, umm, I was just..." He stuttered.

"You just what?" She exclaimed finally looking at him. He took a cautious step back. He saw the fire in her eyes. But it wasn't pure hatred and anger. It was full of anger and sadness and exhaustion. "I'm sorry, Haley." He said quietly.

"Yeah, okay. Was there anything else?" She asked resting her head back down against her pillow. Just then, Lexie started crying. Haley let out a groan and began sitting up from the bed. "I'll get her, Haley." Nathan said.

"Don't worry about it. I've got it." She retaliated brushing passed him out of the bedroom and into Lexie's bedroom. She left the door open and Nathan watched as she pulled Lexie out of the crib. The little girl immediately clung to her as Haley ran her hand soothingly up and down her back. "It's okay, sweetie. Mommy's here." She whispered. Nathan watched from the doorway quietly. He usually loved that sight-the sight of his daughter and the woman he was in love with. Now, all he felt when he saw it was guilt and remorse. He slowly inched his way over to the guest bedroom and shut the door behind him. Haley looked over to the room when she heard the door shut. She felt a couple tears fall down her cheeks, and she held Lexie closer and tighter to her body. "I love you, sweetie. All three of you." She whispered.

* * *

"Hey, sweetie." Deb greeted walking into Nathan's office.

"Hey, mom. What brings you by?" He asked surprised at seeing his mother.

"Just checking in on my baby." She said taking a seat on one of the chairs in front of his desk. "You're not busy, are you?" She asked.

"Nope, just working on some paperwork." He answered.

"How is the company going? Are you having any problems or anything?" She inquired.

"No. Everything is running very smoothly." He said.

"That's good." She said nodding and looking around his office.

"What brings you by today, mom?" He asks.

"I told you, I'm just..."

"Mom, I know you. You have something on your mind. How about we cut the small talk and get to whatever you're thinking about." He interrupted her.

"Fine. What's going on between you and Haley?" She bluntly asked.

"What do you mean?" He asks caught off gaurd.

"Are you guys fighting?" She asks.

"Why would you think that?" He asked.

"Well, for one thing, you're never home anymore. You spend the majority of your time here at work. You seem unhappy. And so does Haley. You two aren't the same as you used to be." She stated.

"And what way was that?" He asked.

"Well, you used to talk." She simply stated.

"We talk." He countered.

"Saying hi or talking about Lexie is not talking, Nathan." She retorted. A silence crept into the room as Nathan avoided his mother's glare. "What's going on, honey?" She asked softly.

"Nothing, mom." He dismissed.

"I know you, Nathan. There's something going on. What is it?" She demanded.

"Nothing, mom! Just let it go!" He exclaimed. He calmed down and watched his mother stand up from the chair, pick up her purse, and head towards the door. Before she reached the door, she turned back around. "You know, Nathan, whatever problems you're dealing with aren't going to go away by bottling them up. And you can deny it all you want, but I know something's going on. And when you are ready to talk, I'll be here. I just hope it's sooner rather than later before you lose everything that's worth anything in your life." She said and walked out of his office.

"I already have lost everything." He mumbled sighing sadly into the empty room.

* * *

Awkward. Uncomfortable. Uneasy. Those three words perfectly described the emotions passing through both Nathan and Haley. They were in Tric waiting for a new band Jake and Peyton signed to begin their performance. Neither of them wanted to be here, but Lucas and Brooke begged them to come out. They said they needed a night out without Faith. Keith and Karen were watching Faith for the night while Deb readily agreed to watching Lexie. It's been a couple weeks since Nathan's talk with his mom. Things between him and Haley were even more awkward. They barely said more than ten words to each other a day. It was more him. Haley tried to make an effort a few times, but he shut her down each time. He hated to do it, and he hated the hurt look on her face each time he did it. But he couldn't control himself. He couldn't get too close to her.

The four of them were sitting in a booth in the club. Lucas and Brooke on one side with Nathan and Haley on the other side. Haley was all the way up against the wall while Nathan was practically falling off the edge of the seat. The sight would have been comical if it wasn't so heartbreaking. They've said probably a total of three words to each other all night which consisted of _"You ready?" _and _"Yeah." _When he didn't think anyone was looking, Nathan shifted his glance over to Haley. He let his eyes roam up and down her body. When he first saw her before they left the house, he was speechless. She looked amazing. She was wearing a charcoal grey skirt which landed at her mid-thigh. She had it paired with a black long-sleeved turtleneck and a pair of black knee-high boots. Her long auburn colored hair was flowing down her back with a slight curl. She was amazing, and he wanted nothing more than to take her home right now. He wanted her but couldn't have her.

"All right, I'm making a drink run. What's everyone having?" Lucas asked standing up from the booth.

"How about a cosmo?" Brooke answered.

"Just another beer." Nathan answered.

"I'll just have a water." Haley answered.

"Water? Are you sure?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah, thanks." She answered as he nodded and walked away towards the bar.

"You have been drinking water all night, Hales. You know this is a nightclub with alcohol, right?" Brooke teased.

"Yes, I know that Brooke." Haley laughed.

"Haley, my mom's going to have Lexie all night. We can take a cab home. Order a drink." Nathan said.

"I'm fine. I just want some water." She retorted with a slight edge. Nathan muttered out a quiet _"okay"_ before turning his focus back to the stage as Haley began fidgetting with her hands on the table. Brooke watched the two of them closely. There was definitely something going on. They had been like this for a couple weeks now, and she was growing increasingly concerned. She and Deb had lunch together ealier in the week to discuss the situation, and they were both at a loss as to what to do. It was hard to come up with a solution when neither knew what the problem was. Nothing was ever simple between Nathan and Haley, and it made their lives exhausting. Lucas returned shortly later with everyone's drinks.

An hour passed, and the four of them were still sitting in their same spots except Jake and Peyton pulled up a couple of chairs at the end of the table. "Oh, I love this song. Come dance with me, hubby." Brooke demanded as she and Lucas climbled out of the booth heading to the dancefloor. Jake and Peyton followed them seconds later leaving just Nathan and Haley alone at the table. "Do you want to dance, Haley?" He asked quietly.

"No." She said.

"Come on." He urged holding his hand out to her. She hesitated for a moment before relenting and placing her hand in his as he led her to the dancefloor. He wrapped his arms around her waist as she wrapped her left arm around his neck and rested her the left side of her face and her right hand against his chest. This was probably the closest they had been with one another in weeks and both lost themselves in the moment. Nathan ran his hand up and down her back and pulled her closer to him with his other hand. "Are you having a good time?" He asked quietly.

"No." She answered honestly.

"Me neither. I miss Lexie to be honest." He said.

"Well, you could see her during the daytime, but you choose to spend the entire day away from the house." She retorted.

"I know. I'm sorry." He said.

"Don't apologize to me. I'm used to it. But Lexie isn't, and she misses her dad." She said.

"Haley, I'm not trying to hurt you." He said.

"You never try to, but you always do. But this isn't about me. It's about our daughter. Stop hurting her. You're angry with me for some reason or you're upset about something-don't take it out on her." She said angrily before rushing off of the dancefloor and to the restroom. Nathan watched her go and knew she was completely right and justified in everything she was saying and feeling.

In the bathroom, Haley was standing in front of the mirror crying. She was tired of this back and forth between her and Nathan. She couldn't deal with it anymore. And she was tired of keeping this pregnancy a secret, but she didn't know what to say. _"Hey, I know you said you didn't want anymore kids, but guess what, I'm pregnant."_ For some reason, she didn't think he'd respond very well to that. She knew she couldn't hide it forever. Soon, she would start to show. And he deserved to know the truth. It was his baby, too. At that thought, she felt sick. She darted into the stall and threw up. After a couple minutes, she stood up and made her way back to the sink. She splashed some cold water on her face and wiped it off with a paper towel. She took one last look in the mirror before heading out of the bathroom to the booth.

"Hey, Hales, we thought you fell in for a second." Peyton laughed.

"Sorry I took so long." Haley said sitting down in the booth next to Nathan.

"Here. I got you that." He said pushing a drink over in front of her.

"What's this?" She asked.

"It's cranberry and vodka-your favorite." He stated.

"Thanks, but I don't want this." She said.

"Haley, just drink it. One drink isn't going to kill you tonight. It's been a rough week, and you're entitled to relax a bit." He said.

"No, thanks." She said pushing the drink away form her.

"What's the big deal, Haley? You always have at least one drink when we go out." He countered.

"I said I don't want it." She said with her voice rising.

"Fine. Be a prude. I don't give a shit what you do." He retorted.

"Nathan, she said she didn't want it. You don't have to be such an asshole." Brooke glared at him. The whole table tensed. Nobody understood why Nathan was acting like such a jerk all of a sudden.

"What? It's just one measly little drink. It's not going to kill her. I don't get what the big deal is." He retaliated.

"It's a big deal because I'm pregnant!" Haley exclaimed before realizing what she said. She covered her hands over her mouth as ten sets of eyes stared at her shocked. But the only ones she noticed were the piercing blue ones right beside her.

**Okay, there you go. I will warn you guys that there's not going to be a lot of happy Naley in the next couple chapters. And I know you have all been so patiently waiting for the ILY's, and they are coming. And I know exactly what I have planned for those and when. I know it's frustrating, but please keep the faith. It will happen. And I know you're all confused and/or angry with the way Nathan's acting, but that will be revealed in the next couple chapters. Anyway, let me know what you think. I hope to have another update up soon. I don't know when honestly. My boss's last day was today, and we're short staffed. I'm going to be working crazy hours until they find her replacement. So, I want to apologize in advance if my updates are not as frequent as they usually are. But I will try very hard to at least get one to you guys every couple days at least. I'm hoping to have another chapter up on Sunday night or Monday morning. Until then!**


	28. Chapter 28

"What did you just say?" Nathan asked still staring at Haley. They were still sitting in the booth at Tric. The club was loud and booming, but there was a deafening silence surrounding the table. Haley was staring down at the table as everyone else was still staring at her with wide eyes waiting for her answer.

"Nothing. Can we go home now?" She asked quietly.

"No, what did you say?" He demanded.

"Nathan, please, I want to go home." She said. He saw the exasperated expression on her face. And he saw the hurt and the sadness, as well. He nodded as they both climbed out of the booth. Haley quickly raced away from the booth as Nathan said a quick goodbye to everyone before following her out of the club. "Did she just say that she was pregnant?" Brooke asked still in shock.

"I think so." Peyton said.

"You didn't know anything about this, Brooke?" Lucas questioned.

"Does this face look like I knew anything?" She retorted.

"I just, she usually tells you everything." He said.

"I know. I knew something was going on with her. I mean, they've both been acting distant with each other, but she's been very quiet these passed few months. I still can't believe she's pregnant." She said.

Nathan and Haley walked into their dark house a few minutes later. Neither said anything in the car ride home. He kept glancing over to her, but she stared out the passenger side window the whole time. Haley walked straight up the stairs and into her bedroom while Nathan locked the front door before following her. He walked into the room and saw her sitting on the bed staring down at her hands. He cautiously took a seat next to her expecting her to jump off of the bed. She didn't, however. She just continued staring down at her hands. "Are you really pregnant, Haley?" He asked. She didn't say anything-she just nodded. "How far along are you?" He asked.

"About seven weeks." She answered.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked.

"I found out the day you told me you didn't want to have another baby." She said as he turned away in guilt.

"I'm sorry, Haley." He said quietly.

"What's going on with you, Nathan?" She asked.

"Nothing." He lied.

"Please stop with that. I know there's something bothering you. Please just talk to me." She pleaded.

"I can't." He said.

"Was it something I did. I don't..."

"No, it's not you. You didn't do anything, Haley." He quickly interrupted her.

"Then, what? Why can't you talk to me?" She cried.

"I don't want to hurt you anymore than I already have." He said. She looked at him concerned. She saw the way he avoided looking into her eyes. She could see the guilt and remorse written across his face. From what-she didn't know. But she wanted to know. She wanted him to be honest with her and confide in her. She wanted him to trust her enough to open up to her. But at the same time, she was terrified to know the truth. "What did you do?" She asked quietly.

"Please, Haley. Please just let it go for right now. I don't want to talk about it." He said.

"Fine. Keep your secrets, keep ignoring me and Lexie, and don't bother worrying about this baby." She retorted standing up and walking towards the bathroom door. Right before she reached the door, she was hastily turned back around and felt his lips on hers. She wanted to push him away, but she was too caught up in the familiar warmth of his embrace. It's been too long since she's felt it and wanted to lose herself even for just a moment. He cupped her cheeks as she tightened her arms around his waist. After a couple minutes, the need for air became too strong. They both reluctantly pulled away and rested their foreheads against one anothers as they waited to catch their breaths. "I'm not trying to shut you out, Hales, or Lexie. I still worry about you and Lexie everyday. I don't mean to push either of you away, and I don't want to." He said.

"Then, why? What's wrong?" She asked.

"It's so complicated, Haley." He said.

"Uncomplicate it, then." She said.

"I wish it were that simple." He said.

"I can't keep doing this, Nathan. I'm tired and stressed. You know what happened the last time I was pregnant. I won't go through all of that pain again. I won't risk this baby's life. I won't do it." She said.

"I know. That's why I can't tell you. I will, but I can't right now. But I still want to be there for you during this pregnancy. I won't neglect you, okay. Believe me when I say I want to be here." He said.

"Okay." She said pulling out of his embrace. "I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow at one o'clock." She said.

"Tomorrow?" He asked.

"Yeah. Can you please come?" She asked.

"Of course." He responded. The truth was that he had something else to do around that time, but one look at the hopeful expression on her face, he couldn't say no. And he didn't want to say no. He wanted to go with her and be with her. He knew he had to talk to Rachel the next day and get everything situated with her, but she could wait until he was done with Haley. She wasn't nearly as important as Haley. "I'm sorry again, Haley, that I can't tell you what you want to know." He said.

"Whatever. You'll tell me when you're ready, right?" She asked giving up trying to figure out what was wrong with him.

"Yeah." He said hesitantly which definitely didn't go unnoticed by Haley.

"I'm kind of tired. I think I'm just going to take a shower and go to bed." She said in defeat.

"Okay. Goodnight, Haley." He said.

"Goodnight, Nathan." She said turning around and walking into the bathroom shutting the door behind her. Nathan watched her retreating form. He hated putting her through all of this. She didn't deserve to be treated this way. And he didn't deserve her.

* * *

"So, how have you been feeling? Have you been feeling as sick as you did while pregnant with Lexie?" Nathan asked as he and Haley were sitting in a hospital room waiting for their doctor to come in.

"I'm feeling okay for now. I've had a little morning sickness but nothing like with Lexie. At least not yet." She answered.

"That's good. I hated seeing you that sick." He admitted. Haley couldn't help but smile slightly at his concern. "So, do you want to find out the sex of this baby, too?" He asked.

"Yeah, I do. I just don't want to wait to get anything done. I want to be prepared like we were with Lexie." She said. "What about you? Do you want to be surprised?" She asked.

"I want whatever you want." He said as they shared a small smile.

"So, do you want a boy or another girl?" She asked.

"I don't know. I would love to have a boy, but I definitely wouldn't mind another girl." He said. "You?"

"I feel the same way." She replied. They heard the door open and saw Dr. Bryan walking in. "So, another baby?" He stated smiling at the two of them.

"Yup. Another baby." Haley said.

"Well, it's great seeing both of you again." He said as Nathan and Haley nodded in agreement. "Okay, you know the drill. Go ahead and lay back. We'll do an ultra sound and all of that fun stuff." He said. Haley layed back in the chair and lifted up her shirt revealing her flat stomach as the doctor set up his computer. "It's still so hard to believe there's a baby in there." Nathan said placing his hand on her stomach.

"I know." She said as the two locked eyes with one another with a look of pure lust.

"Okay, you two. None of that until you get home." Dr. Bryan joked as they quickly looked away from one another. Nathan tore his hand away from its position on her stomach. Dr. Bryan couldn't help but chuckle at the blush that covered Haley's face. "So as you already know, this is going to be a tad bit cold." He said squirting some gel onto her stomach and placing the device across it. In a second, a picture of the baby appeared on the screen. Dr. Bryan showed them where certain parts were as the two stared in awe. They've been through all of this with Lexie, but it still never gets old to see that first picture of your unborn baby. "And here is your baby's heartbeat." He said as the heartbeat sounded in the room. "Strong and healthy." He said. After the ultra sound, he went ahead and checked a few other things before announcing they were all done. "I'll give you guys a minute. When you're ready, go ahead and schedule another appointment for next month at the front desk." He said before leaving the two alone in the room.

"You okay?" Nathan asked noticing Haley brushing a tear from her cheek.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I just still can't believe I'm having another baby." She said.

"We're having another baby." He corrected her.

"Yeah, we're having another baby." She repeated as they started at one another. "We should go." She said as she wiped the gel off her stomach and pulling her shirt down. He helped her off of the chair and led her out of the room. They scheduled their next appointment before walking towards the exit. "So, do you want to go grab something to eat?" She asked as they walked out of the hospital towards his SUV.

"I wish I could, but I can't." He said.

"Oh." She said quietly. He could see the disappointment written all across her face, and he hated it.

"I'm sorry, Haley, but I have a ton of paperwork." He lied.

"It's okay. I can just take a cab home. You don't have to drive me all the way back home only to have to come right back into town." She said.

"Don't be ridiculous. I'll take you home. We can swing by my mom's and pick up Lexie." He said.

"Okay." She said.

* * *

A month had passed now. Things were still the same between Nathan and Haley. He was more attentive to her, though. While he still spent the majority of his time away from the house, he still called her a dozen times a day to check in on her and Lexie. They did confirm that she was having a baby to Lucas and Brooke and asked them to keep it between the four of them right now. They wanted to wait until she started showing to announce anything. It was hard for both of them not telling his mom. They knew she would be ecstatic, but they weren't ready to tell her quite yet. They figured they maybe had a few weeks before it would start to get noticeable and would have to come clean.

Nathan sat in his office working on some paperwork. He was a little behind from the hectic schedule he's been on for the past month. He was busy at work when he heard the door to his office open. He looked up and groaned as he saw Rachel walking in. "Hey." She greeted in that annoyingly cheerful voice she had.

"Hey." He greeted a little less enthusiastically. "What are you doing here?" He asked wondering why Stephanie didn't warn him Rachel was here. That's when he remembered Stephanie went out to lunch five minutes ago.

"I was just coming by to say hi. And I brought us some lunch." She responded holding up a bag of food.

"Thanks, but I'm not hungry." He said before focussing back to his work.

"Well, I am." She said taking a seat on the chair in front of his desk. He inwardly sighed and attempted to ignore her presence. "What are you working on?" She asked.

"Stuff." He answered vaguely.

"What kind of stuff?" She prodded.

"Stuff for work." He said as she couldn't help but roll her eyes at him.

"What kind of stuff for work?" She continued to pry.

"Just stuff, okay. It's none of your business." He shot out.

"I bet you'll share it with Haley, though." She retorted.

"You're right. I do share it with Haley for a couple reasons. One, she is part owner of this company. And two, she is my wife. You choose to forget that sometimes." He said.

"Kind of like you did a few months ago." She reminded him. She smirked as he looked away in guilt. She knew he wouldn't try to argue with her on that. "So, I was going to go shopping for some stuff tomorrow. Do you want to come with me? We can pick out some stuff together." She said deciding to change the subject.

"I can't. I'm busy tomorrow. You're a big girl, Rachel. You can go yourself. And it's your house anyway, you should choose whatever color or theme you want to do the room in." He said as she let out a small scoff.

"What's so important that you can't come with me?" She asked angrily.

"None of your damn business." He replied.

"God, Nathan! What the hell is your problem? Why are being such a dick to me?" She implored.

"Because I don't want you here. I don't want to be dealing with you anymore, and I don't want you in my life anymore." He huffed out.

"Well, you should have thought about that a few months ago. What gives you the right to treat me like this? You are more than responsible for this little precament we're in. Why are you treating me like I mean nothing to you?" She said.

"Because you do mean nothing to me, Rachel!" He exclaimed as she looked at him shocked. "Don't you get it? You are nothing to me. I don't love you, and I will never love you. I don't even want to be friends with you anymore. All I want is you out of my life. Ever since you came waltzing into town, you've been nothing but making my life miserable. And I own up to the fact that a lot of that is on me. I let it happen, and I was stupid. I made a mistake ever letting you back into my life. So, you want the truth. This is the truth-you mean nothing to me." He continued.

"How can you say that to the mother of your child?" She questioned hurt.

"Because that's all you are to me, Rachel. And that's all you'll ever be. You seem to be living in this fantasy where I'm going to suddenly love you because you're pregnant. Well, come back to reality. I don't and won't. I love Haley. And she and Lexie and...they're my family." He said catching himself from outing Haley's pregnancy.

"You're so naive, Nathan. Do you really believe Haley will forgive you for cheating on her? And cheating on her with me of all people. You're the one living in a fantasy if you believe that." She stated.

"No, I don't believe she'll forgive me. And she shouldn't. You were right about something. She does deserve better than me. And I don't blame her if she'll never speak to me again. But all of that, doesn't change the way I feel for her. It doesn't stop me from loving her with everything I have. This baby you're carrying isn't going to change that. No matter how much you want it to." He said.

"You can't even say it's your baby. Everytime we talk about it, it's always _'this pregnancy' _or _'your baby'_ or _'the baby'_. News flash, Nathan, it's your baby. It's time you start accepting that. Or you know what, I'll tell Haley everything. Maybe I'll even show her the video so she'll actually see proof." She threatened.

"Do it, and you'll find out how much you really mean to me." He warned with fire in his eyes.

"Why shouldn't I, Nathan? I mean, she's going to find out the truth eventually. Why don't we just rip the bandaid off sooner rather than later?" She taunted.

"She doesn't need to know anything right now. She doesn't need the added stress. And I swear to you, Rachel, if you do anything, and I mean anything, to hurt her in any way, you will regret it. And I don't mean just in regards to outing your pregnancy, I mean anything. If I so much as find out you even said a word to her, you'll be sorry. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting to get to. And when I come back, you better be gone." He warned before angrily leaving his office while slamming the door shut behind him. Rachel sunk further into her chair in defeat. Her plan wasn't working, and she was running out of ideas. She stood up and walked behind his desk and began riffling through some papers trying to find anything useful to her. She opened the top drawer and found some pictures of him, Haley, and Lexie. It was all enough to make her want to puke. She slammed the drawer shut and looked through a couple other ones finding nothing. She searched through the papers on his desk once more and found another picture under a stack of files. She picked it up and found a sonogram picture. Her heart fluttered and tears appeared in her eyes. "He really does care." She said aloud while admiring the picture and rubbing her stomach. Her heart dropped though as she scrolled her eyes to the upper left corner of the sonogram and saw the name Haley Scott written. She moved her eyes a little to the right and saw a date from the previous month. She was fuming. She slammed the picture down on top of the desk. After she absorbed the news of Haley's pregnancy, she picked the picture back up and angrily ran out of the office.

* * *

"Hey, Deb. What brings you by today?" Haley asked as she stepped out of the doorway to let her mother-in-law walk in.

"I was just wanting to check on all three of my babies." She said. They walked into the kitchen where Nathan was making something to eat at the stove. It's been a couple days since his talk with Rachel, and he wanted to spend some time with Haley and Lexie. He needed to spend some time with the two of them. He called into work and told them he wouldn't be coming in for the day. He couldn't forget the look of happiness that passed through Haley's face as he told her he'd be spending the day with her and Lexie. Just that look alone made him want to stay home with them every single day.

"Hey, sweetie." Deb greeted as Nathan turned around and acknowledged his mother.

"Hey, mom. What are you doing here?" He asked.

"Just came by to say hi. You're not working today?" She questioned.

"Nope. I took the day off." He answered sharing a smile with Haley. Deb was relieved and pleasantly surprised at hearing that. She knew things were tough and awkward between her son and daughter-in-law right now. And all she wanted was for the two of them to get back to the way they were when she first woke up from her coma. Even through all of the pain and sadness, the love was so clearly still evident. And she wanted them to be happy. "So, you want to have some breakfast? Lexie should be up any minute." He said breaking her out of her thoughts.

"If you two don't mind. I would love to see my granddaughter." She said.

"Of course, we don't mind." Haley said.

"Well, you two beautiful ladies take a seat. Your breakfast is about ready. What would you like to drink, mom?" Nathan asked as Haley and Deb took a seat on the chairs on the opposite side of the island.

"Do you have any coffee?" Deb asked.

"Yes, we do. I just made a fresh batch for myself." He answered pulling out a mug and pouring some coffee into it before handing it over to his mom. "Orange juice?" He asked Haley. She nodded at him while he pulled the carton out of the fridge and poured her a glass.

"Thanks, Nathan." She said.

"You are very welcome." He responded. "Okay, breakfast is served." He announced placing a couple plates down in front of them. The three of them ate and talked for awhile in the kitchen before Haley ran upstairs to see if Lexie was awake. She came back downstairs a few minutes with a wide awake Lexie in her arms and found that Nathan and Deb had moved into the family room. She immediately handed Lexie over to her anxiously waiting grandma. The three of them relaxed and talked. After about an hour, Nathan and Haley joined Deb on her spot on the floor as the three of them played with Lexie.

"Baby." Lexie said all of a sudden shocking everyone.

"Did she just...?" Haley began looking at Nathan.

"I think so." He said. "What was that, sweetie?" He asked as the three of them turned their full undivided attention to the little girl.

"Baby." She said again.

"Oh my gosh, she did!" Haley exclaimed as she swooped Lexie up in her arms and leaned into Nathan as he wrapped his arms around both of them. They praised her before setting her back down on the carpet.

"That's so strange that that would be her first word." Deb said still excited for what she had just witnessed.

"I know. That is a little weird. I wonder why _'baby'_ was her first word." Nathan agreed with his mother. "Lexie, why did you say baby?" He asked joking around not expecting her to answer. They all watched as Lexie walked closer to Haley and pointed to her belly. "Baby." She said again as Haley's eyes widened. Ever since she found out she was pregnant, she would talk to Lexie about the new baby. She would show her her stomach and place her hand on her very small baby bump. She honestly didn't think anything of it.

"Why is she poi..." Deb began but stopped abruptly when she saw the look that passed between Nathan and Haley. "Oh my gosh, are you pregnant?" She asked.

"Well, we weren't expecting you to find out like this right now, but...yes, mom, Haley's pregnant. We're having another baby." Nathan revealed.

"Oh my gosh! This is the most amazing news!" She exclaimed embracing the both of them in her arms. "Congratulations!" She exclaimed. "So, how far along are you? Is it a boy or a girl? When are you due?" She began spitting out question after question as she pulled back from their embrace.

"Okay, mom. Take a deep breath." Nathan said as Haley laughed.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Okay, I'm calm." Deb said.

"Well, I'm about eleven weeks along. I'm due in July. And we don't know if it's a boy or a girl. We won't find that out for about another couple of months maybe." Haley answered.

"Oh, I'm so happy for you guys." Deb gushed.

"We are, too, mom. And we're happy you can be here for the whole pregnancy and birth this time." Nathan said grabbing ahold of her hand.

"Me, too." She responded brushing away a few fallen tears. "So, how have you been feeling, Haley?" She asked.

"I'm fine. This pregnancy is really different from when I was pregnant with Lexie. I have some morning sickness every once in awhile, but nowhere near like before. I feel a lot more energized with this pregnancy." Haley answered.

"That's good. I think a lot of women have difficulty with their first pregnancy. Their bodie's aren't used to the sudden change and effect it creates. Your body's probably more familiar with the symptoms now and is responding in a more positive way." Deb stated as Haley nodded in agreement.

"Baby." Lexie said again capturing the attention of the three adults.

"Yes, sweetie, baby." Haley said pulling the girl into her lap. "Lexie, can you say mommy?" She asked. "Come on, Lexie, say mommy." She prodded as Nathan watched and listened hopeful.

"Baby." Lexie said looking up at her mother. Haley laughed and placed her cheek against Lexie's cheek tightening her hold around the girl. "Okay, we'll work on mommy later." She said as she, Nathan, and Deb all laughed.

It was later that evening. Deb had left a few hours prior. Nathan and Haley continued spending the rest of the day doing nothing but relaxing at home. His mom left just before Haley started dinner for them. They had finished eating and were now cuddled together in the family room. Lexie was fast asleep in her playpen. Nathan was sitting on the couch with the recliner popped out stretching his feet working on some paperwork from the company. Haley was sprawled out along the couch with her feet popped up in his lap asleep as well. She had a small blanket covering the upper half of her body. Nathan sighed and placed his pen on the arm of the couch. He stretched his back slightly while rubbing his neck. He looked to his right and saw Haley. He smiled at the sight of her. She was laying there sleeping with a hint of a smile curved on her lips. He couldn't help but wonder what she was dreaming about. He placed his papers on the end table to his left before gently lifting her feet from his lap and shifting his body down next to her. He wrapped his arm protectively around her and rested his head on his other arm. He did nothing but watch her sleep. She looked peaceful and like she didn't have a care or worry in the world. He loved seeing her this way. He placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. He pulled the other blanket draped along the couch and covered the two of them up. He rested his head once again on his other arm as he, himself, fell into a deep, peaceful slumber. Rachel watched the scene from the window outside and felt herself growing even angrier. She wanted to be in Haley's position, and she wanted Nathan. She decided right then and there she would stop at nothing to get him.

**Okay, there you guys go. I had such a fantastic day at work yesterday, and when I got home, I couldn't sleep or anything. I just had the urge to write. And I didn't want you guys waiting too long for another chapter. I was going to wait and post this later tonight, but I thought, what the hell, I'm gonna do it now. Okay, so I know a lot of you-probably most-are really pissed off at Nathan right now, and rightfully so. And I'm sure you have a ton of questions. Let me asure you, I think the questions you guys all have will be answered in the next chapter. I wanted to reveal Rachel's pregnancy in this chapter, but I also wanted some happy moments between Nathan and Haley and Lexie. I'm trying to show more of what's going on in Nathan's mind and what he's feeling. And I wanted a little happy, sweet moments, too, because the next chapter is going to be a little heartbreaking. Don't worry, questions will be answered soon. And don't give up hope too soon. Again, I want to thank all of you who are reading and/or reviewing this story. I appreciate it so much! So read and tell me what you think. (Be gentle please with this chapter! LOL!) And I have to go into work today, but I hope to come home and start writing the next chapter tonight. And hopefully, maybe tomorrow sometime, I'll have it posted. So, until then!**


	29. Chapter 29

**Oh my gosh, I can't believe it's been a week. I am so sorry you guys. I have been working so much, and I have been sick this week. I seriously would come home and get straight into bed and pass out until the next morning. I know, crappy excuse, but it's the truth and it's all I've got. I'm so sorry it took me so long to update. Anyway, here's another chapter.**

"Well, Haley, you're about twenty weeks along. Would the two of you like to know the sex of your baby?" Dr. Bryan asked.

"Yes, we do." Nathan answered quickly.

"Well, it looks like Lexie is going to have a baby brother." Dr. Bryan answered. He smiled as he witnessed the exchange of smiles between Nathan and Haley. "So, I'm guessing you guys wanted a boy." He chuckled.

"Yeah, we did." Nathan responded happily.

"Well, then, congratulations." Dr. Bryan said. "Okay, Haley, you are all set to go. You know the drill-before you leave, go and set up an appointment for next month." He said before leaving the room. Nathan helped Haley off of the bed. They scheduled another appointment, walked out of the hospital, and headed towards Nathan's SUV. "So, do you want to go to dinner?" Haley asked feeling a deja vou moment from their first appointment. Even though things have been going okay between the two of them, they weren't great. Nathan still spent most of his time during the day away from the house. He would come home late at night usually after both Haley and Lexie were asleep. However, he would take one day a week and make sure he did nothing but spend it with them. She was already expecting him to say no to her suggestion of dinner.

"Yeah. What are you feeling like?" He said surprising her.

"Oh, umm, I don't really know." She stammered not expecting to have to answer.

"Well, we could go to that Italian restaurant you love so much." He suggested.

"Sure, I'd really like that." She said as they shared a small smile. He opened the passenger side door and helped her in. He shut the door after she was completely inside and journeyed over to the other side.

Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the retaurant. They were seated and ordered some drinks while looking over the menu. It was silent between the two. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence nor was it a comfortable silence. It was hard to explain. It was as if they were enjoying each other's company but didn't know what to say to one another. Nathan watched as Haley's eyes scrolled through the menu. She had this goofy smile on her face, and he couldn't help but chuckle slightly causing her to look up at him with questioning eyes. He smiled reassuringly at her before shaking his head. "So, have you had any weird cravings lately?" He asked.

"Not really. I kind of just have been craving everything lately. I've been eating three times the amount of what I ate when I was pregnant with Lexie. All I want to do during the day is eat." She said as he laughed. "It's not funny. I'm gaining more weight than with Lexie." She whined jokingly.

"You look beautiful." He commented as they gazed at one another.

"Thank you. Thank you for trying to make me feel better." She said in appreciation.

"I'm not trying to make you feel better. I mean, I hope I am. But I really mean it. You look beautiful-you always do." He said. She focused her attention back down to her menu as a smile formed on her lips and a blush covered her face. "What are you going to order?" He asked changing the subject.

"Oh, I don't know. Chicken fettuccini sounds kind of good right now. You?" She asked.

"Probably the three cheese ziti." He answered.

"Oh, that sounds amazing, too." She gushed as he laughed. "Maybe I should get that. Oh, but the fettuccini sounds so amazing. What should I get, Nathan?" She asked.

"Tough choice." He said.

"I know." She retorted.

"How about this? How about you order the chicken fettuccini and I order the three cheese ziti. We can split both." He suggested.

"Oh, I love you so much right now." She said laughing. She stopped when she realized what she just said. She looked back up to him and saw him staring at her. "I didn't mean...I just meant..."

"No, I know what you meant. You were saying that because of the food." He quickly jumped in.

"Yeah, the food." She said. They were saved from their awkward moment by the waiter approaching their table asking if they were ready to order. They put in their orders in and a few seconds later, they were alone once again. This time, it was an uncomfortable silence. "You know what I miss." Haley randomly said breaking the tension.

"What?" Nathan asked interested.

"I miss wine. I miss alcohol." She pouted staring at a couple three tables away from them. He followed her line of sight and laughed.

"I'm sorry, Haley." He said sympathetically.

"It's okay. I'm happy to give it away for the reason I have to. I'm just whining." She said.

"Well, feel free to whine about wine all you want. I'm all ears." He said as the tension seemed to lift away from them as they continued talking and joking around. They refrained from discussing anything too serious. They just talked and flirted the way they used to do. They finished dinner, paid the bill, and left the restaurant. "So, are you gonna head back to work now?" She asked quietly.

"No." He answered catching her by surprise again.

"Where are you going, then?" She asked.

"I'm going home-with you." He answered reaching over and clasping her left hand in his right hand. She smiled at the gesture and looked over to him. He didn't look at her. He just smiled and kept his focus on the road ahead of him. They returned home shortly later. Haley went upstairs to change while Nathan headed into the kitchen for something to drink. His cell phone began vibrating, and he looked down at the caller id and saw Rachel's name appear on the screen. He rolled his eyes, hit ignore, and shoved the phone back into his pocket. Just as he was about to open the refrigerator, his phone went off again. Not checking the caller id, he pushed the talk button and put it up to his ear. "What do you want?" He yelled out in irritation.

"Oh, sorry, honey, is this a bad time?" His mom asked.

"No, mom. I'm sorry. I thought you were someone else. Anyway, what's up?" He asked relieved it was his mom instead of Rachel.

"I was wondering when you or Haley were coming by to pick up Lexie." She said.

"Oh, well, we can come now if you need to go do something." He responded.

"Oh no. Actually, I was calling to see if I can keep her tonight. I'll bring her back tomorrow." She asked.

"Of course, mom. I'm sure Haley would really appreciate that. I do, too." He said.

"Are you at work?" She asked.

"No. Haley and I just had dinner. And I think we're just going to have a relaxing night at home." He answered.

"That's good. You two deserve a night alone." She said. She couldn't stop the smile from forming on her face. She was so pleased at hearing this. She knew what those two really needed was some time along together. "Well, I'll let you guys go. I'll see you tomorrow." She said. They said their goodbyes and ended the call. Nathan dropped his phone onto the counter and opened the refrigerator. He scanned the inside for something to drink when his eyes landed on some beer. He smirked as the took a couple out and drank them quickly. He made his way up the stairs and into Haley's bedroom at the same time she walked out of the bathroom in some pajama shorts and a tank top. "Hey, I completely forgot. Lexie is over at your mom's. Do you think you could go and pick her up?" She asked.

"No, I can't do that." He answered. She shot an annoyed glare at him before feeling her anger rise.

"Of course you can't. Fine, I'll just do it myself." She huffed out feeling the sudden end to their great evening. She made her ways towards thte door angrily but was stopped when he extended his arm out in front of her waist. He gently pulled her in front of him. "My mom just called. She wants to keep Lexie for the night." He revealed.

"Oh." She mumbled in embarrassment looking down. It was then that she noticed just how close they were standing to each other. She realized that his hands were still placed securely on her waist. She looked up to him and saw that he was thinking about the same thing. "I should..."

"Haley, I was thinking about what you were saying in the retaurant." He cut her off as she gave him a confused look. "You know, about how you miss alcohol. I think I can help you a little with that." He said confusing her even more. She was about to say something when his lips descending down to hers. Months-that's how long it's been since they've last kissed one another. It didn't take any time before he ran his tongue along her bottom lip as she quickly granted him access. She could taste the beer on his tongue. They were kissing as if it were the last time they would get the chance. Maybe they truly believed it was. After several minutes, they had to break apart due to the need for air. "I know it's not the real thing, but I hope that satisfied your craving enough for now." He smirked at her.

"Not really." She said quietly. He looked at her confused until she looked up and caught his gaze. He saw the wave of lust that was passing in her eyes. He leaned in and kissed her once again. They broke apart, and he leaned his forehead against hers. "We can't, Haley." He said quietly.

"Why not?" She asked as he felt her hold tighten around him.

"We just can't." He said.

"I want to, Nathan." She said leaning forward and placing kisses along his neck. He closed his eyes as her ministrations sped up and became more forceful. He was losing this battle, and he was losing it quickly. He had to stop them. He didn't want to, but he had to. It was for her own good. He gently pushed her away from his body and hated the hurt look on her face. He hated the tears that were glistening in her eyes. And he hated himself for being the cause of it. "I'm sorry." She let out quietly before running back into the bathroom and shutting the door behind her. "I'm sorry." He whispered into the empty bedroom as he left the room and headed towards his bedroom.

Five minutes later, Haley walked back out into her bedroom. She crawled into the bed and snuggled under the covers. She was tired of crying, and she was tired of feeling this way. She missed her old life. She missed her parents. She missed Lexie. And she missed Nathan. She missed it all. She layed there on her right side facing away from the door. She had her eyes closed remembering the way her life used to be. She was so engrossed in her thoughts, she failed to hear the bedroom door opening. It wasn't until she felt the bed shifting that she opened her eyes. She saw Nathan laying next to her staring at her. Neither said anything. They just stared at one another. "I'm sorry, Haley. I just don't want to complicate things even more between us." He finally voiced.

"Who says it will? Why don't we just not complicate it?" She said.

"I wish it were that simple." He said staring at the ceiling.

"Why can't we push everything aside for one night? For one night, can't we just feel instead of think. I'm tired of thinking. I just want to feel you, Nathan. I want to be close to you. Please. Just for tonight." She pleaded with him curling into his side. He felt her showering his bare chest with kisses. He felt the soft, warmth of her tongue running the length of his chest until reaching his neck. He couldn't stop. He wanted her. He needed her. He felt as she moved more fully on top of him. He reached up and cupped her cheeks in his hands and pulled her to him as their lips met in a heated kiss. She moved slightly down and brushed up against his hard erection causing him to moan into her mouth. "I do want you, Haley. I want you all the time." He mumbled against her lips.

"I can tell." She smirked. He moved his hands down to her waist and gripped her tightly. He took ahold of the hem of her tank top and guided it up and off of her body. It didn't take long for the rest of their clothing to shed away as they joined together for the first time in a long time.

Nathan watched Haley sleep. It was a little after eleven. Haley had fallen asleep close to twenty minutes ago. He couldn't sleep, though. He could do nothing but watch her. She looked so peaceful and so content. He wanted to feel the way he was feeling in this moment for the rest of his life. He leaned forward slightly and kissed her on her cheek. "I love you." He whispered in her ear before he finally found himself falling into a deep slumber.

* * *

Nathan woke up the next morning. It took him a few seconds before he realized he was in Haley's bedroom. He looked over and saw her curled up on her right side facing him. He smiled at the sight, and he couldn't help but think of the night before. It was amazing being with her again. It was amazing feeling that close to her again. But he also couldn't help but think that this amazing feeling wouldn't last much longer. He noticed as she began to stir around slightly. She scrunched up her nose and swatted at it with her hand before reaching out and pulling the blankets further up her body. He couldn't help but laugh at her. He leaned forward and kissed her gently on the forehead before climbing out of the bed. He threw on his sweatpants and quietly headed out of the bedroom. He walked down the stairs and was heading to the kitchen when he heard a knock at the front door. He headed through the foyer and opened the door. "Rachel, what the hell are you doing here?" He asked in a slight panic.

"Well, you never answered any of my calls last night." She said.

"I was busy." He said.

"Doing what?" She pried.

"It's none of your business, actually." He retorted.

"Busy with Haley?" She asked in annoyance.

"What are you doing here, Rachel? We had a deal. You are supposed to stay in Charlotte." He said.

"I know. And I love the hotel you set me up in, but I wanted to see you. You haven't been down to see me in awhile." She said.

"Yeah, because you haven't had any doctor's appointments lately. I told you, Rachel. I'm only here for the baby-not you." He said as she let out a small scoff. "Look, Rachel, you need to go." He continued.

"Why? Nathan, I hate being so far away from you. I felt the baby kick for the first time today. I hated not being with you for that moment. We should be sharing every moment of this pregnancy together." She said.

"Rachel, I can't deal with this right now. I can't be there for you in the way you want." He said softly.

"Yeah, you've said that before." She said quietly. "Well, since I'm here now, do you want to go get some lunch with me?" She asked hopeful.

"I can't. I have plans today." He said.

"With Haley?" She asked showing no emotion.

"Yes, with Haley and Lexie." He answered.

"Haley's lucky. She doesn't have an absentee father to Lexie, and she has someone to be there for her throughout her second pregnancy." She said defensively as Nathan glared at her. "But hey, you love her. I'm just the girl you cheated on her with, right?" She said glaring right back at him.

"Go back to Charlotte, Rachel." He said.

"And if I don't." She challenged.

"You don't want to find out." He threatened. "Now, I have to go. Goodbye, Rachel." He said shutting the door. Nathan made his way into the kitchen and searched through the fridge for something to cook. "Hey." A soft voice sounded coming into the kitchen. He turned suddenly and smiled when he noticed Haley. She was wearing one of his button down shirts. He loved seeing her wearing his clothes. It has always been a turn on for him. And that definitely hasn't changed. "Hey, what are you doing down here?" He asked.

"Am I not allowed to come down here?" She asked.

"No, that's not what I meant. I just, I was going to bring you breakfast in bed." He revealed quietly.

"That's really sweet. Thanks, Nathan." She said.

"Well, you kind of ruined it." He joked.

"Well, if you want, I can go back upstairs and get into bed. We can pretend I never stepped foot down here." She said as they both laughed. "Anyway, did your mom say what time she was going to bring Lexie home?" She asked.

"She text me this morning. She said she was going to keep her until later this afternoon." He answered.

"Okay. So, are you going into work today?" She asked.

"No, remember I was going to hang out with you and Lexie today." He stated.

"Yeah, but I just...I just thought you'd go into work since Lexie isn't home." She said.

"Or we can spend the day together." He suggested.

"Really?" She asked hopeful as he nodded at her. "Okay. What did you have in mind?" She asked.

"I kind of just want to stay around the house. I want to sit around-maybe watch movies. You know, just relax." He said.

"Sounds good to me, but can you make me breakfast first? I'm kind of hungry." She said.

"Of course." He laughed.

Nathan and Haley spent the entire day just laying in bed watching movies and talking about the baby and the company. They relaxed and simply enjoyed one another's company. They did nothing, but it meant everything to the both of them. It was a little past six, and Nathan had left to go grab them some dinner. His mom had dropped Lexie off around four o'clock in the afternoon. Nathan and Haley played with Lexie until she fell asleep. Haley put her to bed while Nathan headed into town. Haley was walking downstairs when she heard the doorbell ring. When she finally made it to the front door, she opened it only to see nobody out there. She was just about to turn back around into the house when she noticed a small package with her name written on it. She picked it up and looked around outside once more before going back inside. She ripped off the paper and saw a plain dvd. She grew confused and walked into the living room to find out what it was.

Nathan walked through the front door of his house. It was dark-dark and eerily quiet. He called out Haley's name but didn't recieve a response. He walked further into the house and found Haley sitting on the couch in the living room. The television was on but the screen was blank. She was holding the remote in her hand staring at the screen. "Haley." He tried capturing her attention. She didn't say anything nor did she pry her eyes from the television. "Haley!" He yelled softly. And that's when she finally looked at him. She had red blood-shot eyes with tear stains running down her cheeks. And she had a look of pure hatred and sadness and disappointment all mixed together. "What's wrong?" He asked cautiously.

"You slept with her." She choked out catching him completely off gaurd.

"What?" He asked praying he heard her wrong.

"Rachel. You slept with her." She repeated.

"I...I, Haley, I..." He stammered at a loss of words.

"Please tell me it's not true. Please, because I can't believe you would...please, Nathan. Please tell me it's nothing but a lie. Please." She begged through her tears.

"Haley, I didn't mea...I don't..."

"You did, didn't you?" She asked. His silence was enough to answer her question. "I can't believe you. You promised me that you wouldn't. You promised me you wouldn't hurt me like this." She cried. "How could you do this, Nathan?" She implored. "Say something!" She demanded angrily.

"I didn't mean to, Haley. I don't know what happened." He said.

"That's all you have to say. You don't know what happened." She bit back incredulously.

"I don't remember what happened." He said.

"Oh, really? Well, here let me remind you." She shot out while pushing play on the remote and a tape of him and Rachel together came onto the screen. Nathan's eyes widened, and he ran over to the television clicking it off. He stood with his back facing Haley for a few seconds as he listened to her sniffling behind him. He turned around to look at her. "Haley, you have to believe me when I say I don't remember any of this." He said. She shook her head and turned slightly away from him. "Please just listen to me. You know that business trip I took to Charlotte about six months ago. I had meetings on both Friday and Saturday and stayed overnight in a hotel. Some of the guys and I went to the bar lounge in the hotel on Friday night. But Haley, I swear, I only had two beers. And you know that isn't enough to get me drunk. I remember having a couple beers, and then, we all decided to head back up to our rooms. After that, I don't remember anything. I swear." He tried explaining.

"So, you don't remember waking up in the morning with her naked body draped over you." She retorted.

"No, Haley, because when I woke up the next morning, I was alone. There was nobody in the room with me. There was no trace of anyone else ever being in that room with me. I woke up with a splitting headache but that's all. I don't remember seeing Rachel at all the whole time I was in Charlotte." He said.

"You know, I thought this was just one of Rachel's tricks at first. I thought she maybe fabricated the tape. But then I saw the date of the tape on the lower right hand corner. And guess what, it was from that night." She said.

"Haley, I swear to you that I never intentually meant to hurt you. I would never cheat on you." He said.

"But you did! It doesn't matter if you remember it or not. You still did it!" She yelled.

"I'm so sorry." He said.

"I'm so tired of hearing you say that." She cried.

"Please, Haley, tell me what I can do. I'll do anything, please." He said.

"I want my life back. I want the last four years of my life back. Can you do that for me?" She shot out sarcastically. "You swore you would never hurt me like this. I trusted you. I believed in you. Six months, you lied to me. For six months, you had me questioning why you were so distant from me and Lexie. For six months, I was thinking I had done something wrong to make you act the way you were to both me and Lexie. Six months, Nathan!" She yelled.

"I never meant for you to find out this way. I'm so sorry." He said.

"Were you just never going to tell me? How long were you planning on keeping this from me? And don't give me that crap about not wanting to hurt me. Because believe me, Nathan, I would have much rather preferred to hear it directly from you rather than seeing it with my own eyes. That hurts worse." She said. He didn't say anything. He just watched as she cried harder. "Why didn't you tell me? We could have talked about it, and we could have found a way to deal with it together. But you lying to me and trying to cover it up, I...I just don't know what to believe anymore." She said as her voice softened.

"Haley, I am so sorry. You're right, I should have talked to you about it. But I am telling you the truth when I say I don't remember what happened. I never would have believed it myselt if Rachel hadn't shown up in my office telling me that she's pregnant and show..."

"What?" She interrupted him abruptly but quietly.

"What?" He asked confused.

"Rachel's pregnant?" She asked the hurt so clearly evident in her voice.

"I thought you knew that. I thought whoever gave you this tape tol..." He trailed off quietly as he watched her sink further back into the couch as fresh tears rolled down her cheek.

"Well, congratulations, Nathan. It's funny, really. For a guy who swore he wasn't going to even start thinking about having kids until he was thirty, you already have one and two on the way. And you're only twenty-seven." She bit out harshly. He rushed over to her, sat down, and reached out to grab her hand. She furiously stood up and backed away. "No, don't touch me!" She warned.

"Haley, please, I..."

"Get out, Nathan." She said.

"What?" He asked.

"Get out of my house." She said again.

"Haley..." He began standing up and walking over to her.

"Get out! Get out right now!" She screamed as he reached out and pulled her into his embrace as she sobbed into his shirt as tears were glistening in his own eyes as well. He tightened his hold around her as she clung to him with her face buried into his chest. He could feel her tears dampening his shirt as it pressed against his bare chest. "I'm so sorry." He whispered against her hair. In an instant, he went stumbling back slightly as she roughly pushed him away from her. "You need to leave. You have to leave right now. Please, just go." She said and watched as he hesitated. "Get out!" She screamed.

"I'm sorry, Haley." He choked out before walking away and out the front door. Haley slid down to the carpet enveloped in loud, heavy tears.

* * *

Deb was in the kitchen making something to eat when she heard the front door opening and closing. She inched her way cautiously towards the front door and saw Nathan standing there. "Oh, Nathan. Gosh, I thought you might have been a burgular or something." She stated laughing. She stopped when she saw the look on his face. "What's going on, honey?" She asked immediately concerned. He didn't say anything, he just started crying. She ran over to him as he basically collapsed in her arms sobbing. "What happened?" She asked.

"I've ruined everything." He stammered out.

**Okay, there you go. I have to be honest. I don't know how I feel about this chapter. I couldn't get it to come out the way I wanted it to. But anyway, tell me what you guys think. And again, I am so sorry about the long wait. I promise you won't have to wait so long for the next one. I'm actually off today, and I am feeling slightly better. I plan on staying in bed all day watching movies and writing. So, I might have another chapter up for you guys later tonight. But if not tonight, definitely sometime tomorrow. I'm getting back on track with my every other day updates. So, until next time!**


	30. Chapter 30

**Okay, so I've actually had this chapter finished since Monday, but my sister has had my laptop all week. So, I am really sorry I couldn't get it to you guys sooner. This chapter is pretty short, but I've been working on the next one, and it will be longer. There isn't really any drama in this chapter. It's basically a filler. It also doesn't really contain any Nathan and Haley together. This chapter is more about them dealing with their emotions and discussing them with other people.**

Haley laid in bed staring up at the ceiling. She had pretty much cried herself out. Now, she simply felt empty inside. She felt void of any emotion. All she could do was stare blankly at the white ceiling. She heard and felt her phone vibrating but didn't look at it. She already knew who it was. He has literally been calling her every ten minutes. Several times she actually contemplated picking up. But she wasn't ready to talk to him yet. She wanted some distance from him-she needed some distance from him right now. The sound of her phone caused her mind to replay everything. Her mind went straight to Rachel being pregnant. That thought alone made her feel sick.

"Knock, knock." A quiet voice sounded breaking Haley of her thoughts. She looked over to the doorway and saw Brooke standing there. Brooke sent her a small smile as she made her way over to the bed. She crawled underneath the covers and laid next to Haley on the bed. It was quiet. Haley had resumed her state of staring up at the ceiling. After a couple more minutes of silence, Brooke spoke. "What's going on, Hales? I got a text message from Nathan asking me to come over here and check on you." She said quietly.

"Rachel's pregnant." Haley said almost inaudibly.

"Big shocker there. We already knew she was a slut. So, who's the unfornate father who's forever tied to her now?" Brooke laughed expecting Haley to join her in the laughter. She looked over to Haley and saw her staring straight above her with tears glistening in her eyes. "Haley?" Brooke question. It was then that Haley cried a whole new batch of fresh tears.  
Brooke quickly pulled her into her arms. After a couple of delayed seconds, Brooke finally caught on. "That bastard!" She exclaimed pulling her cell phone out of her pocket.

"What are you doing?" Haley managed to ask through her tears.

"I'm calling that lying, cheating bastard and giving him a piece of my mind!" Brooke answered in rage while punching in some numbers. Haley quickly intervened and grabbed the phone out of her hand. "No, Brooke, don't." She said.

"What? Why? He deserves the wrath of Brooke Davis right now." Brooke implored.

"Please, Brooke. I don't want to deal with that tonight. Can you please just lay here with me?" Haley asked completely drained from the drama.

"Fine. But can I at least hit him the next time I see him?" Brooke semi-joked as the two girls laughed. For the next few minutes, they did nothing but lay there in silence. Brooke still had her arms wrapped around Haley as Haley's tears began to fade away. "I don't know what to believe." Haley stated quietly into the silence.

"What do you mean?" Brooke asked confused.

"Nathan swears he doesn't remember sleeping with her, but there's a tape with proof. He said he doesn't remember anything that happened." Haley said.

"Do you believe him?" Brooke asked skeptically still unclear on all of the details.

"I don't know. He just seemed so sure and so adament about everything. I don't know what to believe anymore." Haley stated.

"I'm sorry, Hales. Maybe you should talk to him again." Brooke suggested.

"No, I can't. Not right now. It hurts too much." Haley responded as Brooke nodded her head in understanding. As if on cue, Haley's cell phone began vibrating again. Haley didn't make a move to answer it. "Are you going to get that?" Brooke asked.

"No, it's Nathan. He's been calling practically every ten minutes." Haley answered.

"Do you want me to answer it? I promise I won't yell at him." Brooke said as Haley let out a small laugh.

"No, it's okay." Haley said.

"That's right-make him suffer a bit." Brooke said causing Haley to shake her head slightly. The two found themselves falling into a comfortable silence. Brooke heard Haley's breathing steady and looked over to find her friend asleep. She picked up her cell phone and sent a quick text message to Lucas saying she was going to stay with Haley for the night, and she would call him in the morning. She set her phone on the nightstand before she fell into a deep slumber herself.

"Hey, honey." Deb greeted softly walking into her son's old bedroom finding him laying in his bed.

"Hey." He returned solemnly.

"Haley still not picking up?" She asked.

"No." He answered sadly.

"I'm sorry, Nathan." She said sympathetically. She hated seeing her son like this. As angry and upset as she was with him when she found out what had happened, her heart broke for him. She also wanted to climb into her car and drive straight over to his house and see Haley. She couldn't even imagine what she must be feeling like right now.

"I don't blame her. I wouldn't want anything to do with me either." He stated.

"Nathan, Haley's hurt and angry right now, but she will eventually talk to you. She just needs a little time." She reassured. "Just give her a few days to calm down. You owe her that." She continued as he hesitantly nodded. "Now, isn't it about time to try calling her again?" She asked as he looked at her confused.

"You just said to give her some space." He said not understanding.

"Yes, but she also probably wants to know you still care. You need to prove to her that you are willing to do anything to make it up to her. Prove to her that you still love her." She said. He looked up to his mom suddenly as she gave him a knowing look. "Don't look so surprised, honey. Anyone within a fifty mile radius could see that-anyone but Haley for some reason." She said laughing. "She loves you, too." She said after awhile.

"No, she doesn't." He shook his head in disagreement.

"You two are so dense and so blind. Nathan, Haley is in love with you. Do you honestly think that girl would have reacted so strongly and felt so hurt and betrayed if she didn't." She stated walking towards the door leaving Nathan to contemplate his mother's words. "Get some rest, honey. I'll see you in the morning." She said closing the bedroom door behind her. Nathan snapped out of his daze once he heard the door shut. He picked up his cell phone once more and dialed that all too familiar number. Voicemail-again.

_"Hey, Hales, it's me-again. Listen, I know you don't want to talk to me right now, and I don't blame you. But I would really love to hear your voice right now. I want to make you sure you're okay. I'm going to try to get some sleep. Please call me back, Hales. I'm so sorry for everything. I just want to talk to you. Please. Well, goodnight."_

Nathan pushed end on his phone before setting it down on the nightstand in his old bedroom. He fell back against his pillows and closed his eyes willing himself to fall asleep.

* * *

Haley awoke the next morning feeling completely drained. Her whole body was exhausted, and her eyes were swollen from the immense crying she did the night before. She dragged herself out of bed and made her way across the hall to Lexie's room. She began to panic slightly when she noticed the little girl missing from her crib. She hurriedly climbed down the stairs and heard a voice in the kitchen. She walked in and was relieved to see Brooke cooking at the stove with Lexie in her high chair. "Mommy!" The girl exclaimed with an enormous smile causing Brooke to turn. Haley immediately swooped Lexie into her arms. "Hey, baby." She said.

"Hey, Hales. How are you feeling?" Brooke asked.

"I'm good. Thanks, Brooke." Haley said quietly as Brooke nodded at her. "Shouldn't you be getting home? I'm fine." Haley said.

"Lucas knows where I'm at. Faith is spending the day with Grandpa Keith and Grandma Karen. So, you my best friend, have me here for you as long as you need. And right now, we're going to have some breakfast." Brooke said sternly as Haley smiled at her. "Oh, there's a couple messages for you on the answering machine." Brooke said turning back around to the stove. Haley curiously pressed play on the answering machine and instantly heard Nathan's voice.

_Hey, Hales. It's me again. You won't pick up your cell phone, so I decided to try the house phone. I figured you wouldn't answer it, but I'm trying anyway. Look, Hales, please call me. I need to talk to you._

Haley didn't smile on the outside, but she couldn't help but smile slightly on the inside. She pushed delete and waited for the next message to play.

_Hey, it's me-again. Look, I know you're angry and upset right now. And I understand completely. But please, Hales, please call me back. I really need to talk to you. I need to hear your voice. Please._

This time, Haley did let her mouth curl into a slight smile. She knew he was being sincere. She heard it in his voice. She just wasn't quite ready to talk to him yet. She had so many emotions stirring within her right now, and she couldn't talk to him until she had them somewhat figured out. "Daddy!" Lexie exclaimed breaking Haley of her thoughts. She looked to her daughter and saw her pointing to the answering machine. "Yes, daddy, sweetie." Haley said holding the girl tighter in her arms.

"Hey, mom." Nathan greeted quietly while walking into the kitchen. Deb looked up and noticed the unhappy expression on her sons face. "Hey, honey. I'm making breakfast. You're favorite." She said pushing a plate full of chocolate chip pancakes and some bacon in front of him.

"Thanks, mom." He said sitting at the counter. "You know, I feel like I'm five years old again. My mom's making me my favorite breakfast trying to cheer me up." He said with a slight laugh mixed with a hint of sadness.

"Is it working?" Deb asked.

"A little." He answered as she nodded in understanding.

"So, what are your plans?" She asked.

"I don't know. I don't think I can go into work right no..."

"No, I mean about Haley." She interrupted. She watched the expression on his face drop, and she couldn't help but feel for him. But at the same time, she needed to be stern with him. He needed to be pushed right now. She waited for him to say something. He didn't. "Nathan, you need to do something."

"What am I supposed to do, mom? I need to talk to her, but she refuses to talk to me." He said exasperated.

"Look, I know I told you to give her some time. But, honey, you need a plan. At some point, she will be ready to talk to you again, and you need to be prepared. You need to do something to convince her to forgive you and stand by you through this." She said.

"Like what?" He asked.

"I don't know. Maybe you should start by telling her you love her." Deb suggested leaving the kitchen. Nathan watched his mother go and couldn't help but think about her words. He couldn't help but think that maybe she had a point. But there was this voice inside of his head screaming that now wasn't the right time to tell her. All he could think about was that she would probably think his declaration of love was just a way to get in good with her. He didn't want her thinking that or questioning his motives at all. When he told her he loved her, he didn't want there to be a single doubt in her mind that he was sincere and completely honest.

Deb watched her son silently from the doorway. She hated seeing him this way. Her mind wandered to what Haley must be feeling like right now. She watched as he pushed his plate full of food away from him while pulling out his cell phone. She watched as he dialed what she presumed to be Haley's number. She watched the defeated look on his face as he ended his call and threw his phone down onto the counter. She carefully stepped away from the doorway with her cell phone in her hand and dialed a familiar number. After a couple rings, her cheerful voiced sounded.

"Hey, Brooke. Look, we need to talk. Can you meet me at the cafe in half an hour?" She asked.

"I'll see you in a little bit." Brooke said before the two women hung up. At the same moment, Haley walked back into the kitchen. "Hey, are you okay? Karen just called saying that Faith has been really fussy." Brooke said.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for everything, Brooke." Haley said as the two girls embraced in a hug.

Thirty minutes later, Deb and Brooke found themselves sitting in a booth in the cafe discussing the current situation with Nathan and Haley. Deb explained everything to Brooke that Nathan explained to her the night before. Brooke didn't know the whole story. She was curious but didn't want to pry any information out of Haley. It was clear that her friend was hurt,  
and she didn't want her to have to rehash everything. She was more than ecstatic for Deb to fill in the missing details. She never thought she could hate Rachel anymore than she does. She was angry with Nathan, but for some reason, she felt something was off. "I don't know, Deb. Does something feel...off?" She asked.

"Yes. Look, I know who Nathan used to be. And I have seen who he is now. He's changed, and it's because of Haley and Lexie. He loves them both so much. I truly believe him when he says he doesn't remember. And I truly believe him when he says he would never intentionally hurt her or cheat on her. I know there's a tape, but something's not quite right." Deb agreed.

"Rachel's smart. She's crazy and psychotic, but she's smart. I think we've all underestimated her. I think her true craziness is surfacing." Brooke stated.

"She may be crazy. But she's about to see how crazy I can get now that she's messing with my son and his family." Deb said.

"Amen to that." Brooke said as the two clinked their glasses together.

* * *

Nathan layed in bed staring up at the ceiling. He looked over to the alarm clock on his nightstand and saw the red digital numbers reading twelve past ten at night. He'd pretty much been doing this all day. Like the night before, he had been calling Haley every ten minutes. He knew she wouldn't answer, but he needed to hear her voice-even if it was only from her voicemail. He smiled every time he heard it. He stared up at the ceiling when the sound of his phone ringing broke him out of his thoughts. He thought about just letting it ring. Whoever it was, he didn't really feel like talking-especially if it was Rachel. However, he grabbed the phone and without looking at the caller id, he answered it. "Hello."

"Hi." Her quiet and timid voice sounded. Nathan immediately sprang up in his bed unsure if he was dreaming or not. He wasn't expecting her to call. After the initial shock that it was indeed her, he finally spoke. "Hi. Why ar...how are you?" He asked.

"Okay." She answered vaguely. "You?" She asked hesitantly.

"Better now." He immediately answered causing her to smile. "Is everything okay? I mean, is Lexie okay?" He asked in a slight panic thinking that must be the reason for her to call.

"Yes, Lexie is okay." She answered calming his fears as he let out a sigh of relief. "I was just...we need to talk, Nathan. Can you come to the house tomorrow around noon?" She asked shyly.

"Yes, of course." He answered immediately. He couldn't hlep the smile that came to his face. He knew not to get his hopes up, but he revelled in this feeling for just a moment longer.

"Okay, I, umm...I'll see you tomorrow, then." She stammered out.

"Okay, tomorrow. Goodnight, Hales." He said.

"Goodnight, Nathan." She said as the two ended their conversation. This was a start. They were taking the time to talk to one another. They were taking the time to really listen to and lay all of their cards out on the table. Thinking about what tomorrow might bring, they were both able to sleep peacefully through the night.

**Okay, so there you go. I know, it was kind of boring, but let me know what you think. I should have another chapter up for you guys hopefully tomorrow night or Saturday night. And this time, for real. My sister, her husband, and my nephew are leaving for Florida tomorrow night for the whole week. So, I'll have my laptop, and I don't have to babysit my nephew at all this next week. I only have to work. So, I should be getting back to my regular updates now. Anyway, until next time!**


	31. Chapter 31

Nathan entered his house. He was nervous and anxious. He didn't know what to expect. For all he knew, she could have called him to yell at him or for the simple thrill of getting to throw his ass out again. She didn't sound angry the night before when he talked to her. She just sounded like she wanted to talk about everything. He searched through the house and found Haley in the kitchen. Her back was turned away from him washing some dishes at the sink. "Hey." He greeted softly. She turned startled at the sound of his voice.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." He apologized. _Yup-I'm off to a great start already._ He thought while inwardly rolling his eyes.

"Hey. It's okay." She returned the greeting while shutting off the running water and drying her hands off with a towel on the counter next to her before facing him completely. "How have you been?" She asked.

"Been better. You?" He asked.

"Been better." She repeated his previous words. And awkward silence drifted into the kitchen. "We should, umm...we should go into the family room and talk." She said breaking the silence. He nodded in agreement and let her walk passed him following her into the room. They sat down on the couch. "Listen, Nathan, this is hard." She said as he nodded in understanding. He didn't say anything, though. He was just going to let her talk for now. "I just don't know what to do or how to respond. I don't know how I'm supposed to react. It hurts to look at you right now." She said looking at him. She instantly knew her words hurt him. She wasn't trying to hurt him. Even though he has hurt her, hurting him was the last thing she wanted to do. But she could see the pain in his eyes. He didn't respond, though. She knew he was giving her the chance to get everything off her chest. "But at the same time, I find comfort when I look at you. For the past four years, I've turned to you for comfort. When I've struggled with my parents being gone, I've turned to you. When I've struggled with so many things these years, I've turned to you. And right now, the person I usually turn to is the person who hurt me. I just never thought-you promised me. You told me to have faith in you. And I have. I do." She continues.

"So, you believe me, then?" He speaks up hopeful.

"Yes and no. I believe that you don't remember, and I believe that you never meant to hurt me." She said.

"I wouldn't, Hales. And I..."

"You still did, Nathan." She interrupted him. "I don't know how to stay by your side through this. I want to. I want to for Lexie, and I want to for me. But I don't know how to. I think about it, and it makes me sick. I don't know if I can handle this." She says honestly as a couple tears fall down her cheeks.

"Please don't turn your back on me right now, Haley." He pleaded with her.

"I didn't turn my back on you, Nathan. You were the one who turned your back on me." She shot out standing up feeling her temper flare up. He was quick to follow and reached out for her arm. She was hastily turned back around as he wrapped her petite figure in his arms. "I'm sorry, Haley. I'm so sorry. I didn't want this to happen. I didn't want to hurt you. Please, I need you now more than ever. Please. I'm not asking you to forgive me. I'm not asking you to be okay with this. I'm just asking you to be here for me. I need you." He pleaded desperately cupping her face in his hands and resting his forehead against hers.

"I don't know if I can." She said through her tears.

"Please, try. I hate being away from Lexie. And I hate being away from you. I need you both so much. I've never needed anything or anyone as much as I need you two. I can't do this without you." He said.

"I need some time, Nathan. I need some time away from you." She said pulling herself out of his embrace.

"Then, why did you even ask me to come over here?" He asked trying not to sound angry.

"I wanted to talk to you in person. I want you to know that I'm not making any decisions on what I'm going to do right now. I just need time. Please, Nathan. Please stop calling me for a few days. I appreciate you calling. I really do. I understand you're trying to prove that you still care and that you're sorry. I know you're sorry. And I know you care. It's really not about that at this point. I just can't think straight when you're calling me all day and night. I need some time alone. Please give me that." She asked. He hesitantly nodded at her.

"If that's what you need, then, I'll do it. I'll do anything for you, Haley." He said.

"Thank you." She said softly.

"I'm going to run upstairs and get some stuff together. I'm also going to go see Lexie." He said as she nodded. He gave her a small smile before disappearing up the stairs.

Haley made her way upstairs and stood unnoticed in the doorway as she watched Nathan and Lexie. She melted at the sight and was about to tell Nathan not to go right then and there. Seeing Nathan with their daughter was always the perfect sight for Haley. It was the sweetest sight and one of the biggest turn ons ever. She watched the way he interacted with her,  
and she listened to the way he talked to her.

"Hey, sweetie. Daddy's going to be gone for awhile, but I'm going to see you all the time, okay. I know I haven't been around lately, but that's going to change. I'm going to spend more time with you. And I'm going to try to spend more time with your mommy even though she doesn't want anything to do with me anymore. I'm so sorry for not being here for you. But I love you, Lexie. I love you so much." He said holding the little girl tighter against his chest. Haley's heart about broke in that moment. She quietly walked away from the doorway and walked back down the stairs.

About half an hour later, Nathan came back down the stairs carrying a couple of bags in his arms. He placed them by the front door before walking back into the kitchen to find Haley. "Hey, I'm going to take off now." He said quietly once he spotted her.

"Okay." She said awkwardly. They stared at one another for a few seconds before Nathan sent a small smile her way and turned around to walk away. He made his way to the door and just as he was about to pick up his bags, her voice stopped him. "I'm sorry, Nathan." She said as she stepped in front of him.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Haley. This is all my fault. You did nothing wrong. And if you need some space and some time away from me, then, I'll give you that. I owe you that much." He said now standing directly in front of her.

"I hate this." She responded sadly.

"I know. I do, too." He said reaching out and brushing a few tears away from her cheek. She couldn't help but lean into his warm touch. He leaned forward and captured her lips in a sensual kiss. He expected her to push him away, but she didn't. The kiss started out slow but picked up in momentum. He guided her back as she hit the door gently. She gripped onto his waist tightly as he continued holding onto her cheek. They didn't break away until the need for air forced them to. They broke their kiss but didn't break away from each other. Haley's hands reached under his arms and held onto his shoulders tightly as his arms were wrapped tightly around her shoulders. Her head was nestled into the crook of his neck. "I should go." He said hesitantly.

"I don't want you to." She admitted.

"I know. I don't want to either, but I have to. You need this." He said slowly stepping out of their embrace. He brushed a couple more tears away from her cheek and sent her a small smile. He bent down and picked up his bags. He looked at her one final time before walking out the door completely. Once the door was shut, Haley sunk down to the floor in tears. If possible, her tears were even harder this time than the last time he left.

* * *

"Hey, Mr. Scott. I haven't seen you in a few days." Stephanie greeted once she spotted Nathan stepping off of the elevator.

"Hey, Stephanie. I know, I've been busy. Do I have any meetings or anything?" He asked.

"Not today. It does look like you have a budget meeting tomorrow, though." She answered.

"Thanks." He said heading towards his office.

"Nathan, are you okay?" She asked. She noticed how tired and exhausted he looked.

"I'm fine. It's just been a long week. But thanks for asking." He said before entering his office. He walked over to his desk and sat down on his chair. He sighed as he saw the stack of paperwork laying on his desk. He had no clue how he was going to be able to concentrate on work. All he could think about was Haley and Lexie. It's been two days since he's been staying at his mom's house. That's all. But it felt like a lifetime. He's loved her for a long time now. But he's now realizing how much it hurts to live without her. He needs to fix everything, because he can't live without her. She, Lexie, and this new baby are his whole life. Without them, he has nothing. "Mr. Scott, Rachel's on line one for you." Stephanie said through the intercom disrupting his thoughts.

"Tell her I'm not available right now." He said. He couldn't deal with her right now. Rachel was the last thing he needed to think about right now.

"Gladly." He heard Stephanie say through the intercom and couldn't help but laugh slightly. He knew there was a part of him that should care somewhat for Rachel because of the baby, but he couldn't. The past few years, he's gotten to see a side of her that he never saw in college. She was never this selfish and this annoying in college. This Rachel was not the Rachel he loved back in college. This Rachel wasn't even someone he liked now. He couldn't stand her. And he hated her for the ways she has hurt Haley and by default, Lexie.

He opened his drawer and pulled out the pictures he had of Haley, Lexie, and himself. He smiled at the sight. To any outsiders point of view, they looked like a happy, perfect family. Most of the time, they were. When it was just the three of them, they were the perfect little family. And they were happy. He pulled out a picture of just him and Haley. It was actually one from their vacation in Aruba for their one year anniversary. He remembered that neither Haley nor himself knew this picture was taken. When they checked out of their hotel, the man at the front desk said another guest left this for them. Haley was standing outside waiting in the cab while he checked them out. He looked at the envelope. On the outside it read _To True Love_. He opened it and saw a picture of him and Haley. They were on the beach looking at each other with a look of pure love. Every time he looked at this picture, he only thought about how much _he_ loved Haley. Now, after his talk with his mom, he saw the love that radiated off of the both of them. He saw the love in Haley's eyes. He's never shown this picture to Haley. He's never shown this picture to anyone. For three years, he's kept it hidden in his desk for only his eyes to see. He smiled and admired the picture a few seconds longer before safely securing all of them back into his desk. He stood up and headed towards his closet to place his suit jacket in it. He heard the door opening and saw Lucas walking into his office.

"Hey, Luke. What are you doing here?" He asked. He grew confused when Lucas didn't say anything. He watched as his cousin marched over to him. Barely a second later he was lying on the floor holding onto the left side of his face. "Nice to see you, too, man." He shot out while pulling himself off the floor. "I deserved that." He said.

"You deserve a hell of a lot more than that." Lucas finally voiced while holding onto his right hand glaring at his cousin.

"Okay, before you hit me again, do you think maybe we can talk about everything?" Nathan asked.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Nathan? I thought you were done with Rachel. How could you do this to Haley? How could you do this to Lexie. And how could you do this to your son?" Lucas rattled off angrily.

"Look, I didn't mean for any of this to happen, okay. I never meant to hurt any of them. I would never cheat on Haley. I would never do that to her." Nathan said.

"What? You're such a jackass!" Lucas exclaimed.

"Do you think you could let me explain?" Nathan asked feeling his temper rise.

"Fine. What happened, Nate?" Lucas asked more calmly.

"You're not going to hit me again, are you?" Nathan asked skeptically.

"Not right now. We'll see in a little bit, won't we?" Lucas seethed.

"Fine." Nathan said. For the next five minutes, he explained everything he remembered from what happened the night he slept with Rachel. He was surprised that Lucas kept his mouth shut the whole time he was talking. Once he was finished, he waited for Lucas to say something, but he didn't. "Are you just going to sit there or are you going to actually say something?" He asked annoyed.

"You know how crazy this sounds, Nathan." Lucas finally said.

"I know. I know this sounds ridiculous. I know it sounds like a lie and that I'm trying to cover my own ass, but I'm not. I swear." He said as Lucas shook his head. "Fine, don't believe me! I don't care anymore!" Nathan said angrily.

"It's not that I don't believe you. This is just a lot to take in. Haley's my best friend. She's like a sister to me. But you're my cousin. And I do want to believe you, Nathan. I believe you never meant for this to happen. I do believe you." Lucas said.

"Thank you, Lucas." Nathan said as he sat down in his chair.

"What are you going to do?" Lucas asked taking a seat in a chair in front of Nathan's desk.

"I don't know. I've been staying at my mom's house." Nathan responded.

"So, Haley kicked you out. Good girl." Lucas commented as Nathan shot him a glare. "Okay, not the right time." He said.

"You think?" Nathan retorted.

"I'm sorry, Nathan."

"I love her, Lucas." Nathan admitted to his cousin.

"Well, it's about time you admitted that." Lucas laughed.

"What do I do? She said she needed some time, and I'm giving that to her. But I hate this. I hate being away from her. It's been two days, and I'm miserable. I miss her. And I miss Lexie." Nathan said sadly. "What do I do?" He asked hopelessly.

"Honestly, I don't know, man. This is big, Nathan." Lucas said as Nathan nodded in understanding.

* * *

The next day, Nathan had just finished his meeting and was heading back to his office. Just as he was about to step onto the elevator, a voice stopped him. He turned and saw one of his accountants. "Hey, Mitch. What's up?" He asked.

"Are you okay? You seemed a little distracted in the meeting." Mitch asked.

"I'm fine. I'm just really tired." Nathan said.

"Why don't you take the rest of the day off. Go home to Haley." Mitch suggested.

"I wish that was reality right now." Nathan muttered.

"What's going on, Nathan?" Mitch asked.

"Haley and I are going through some problems right now." Nathan admitted. He and Mitch have always had a pretty close friendship with each other outside of the company. He felt comfortable discussing his problems with him. He trusted him.

"What kind of problems?" Mitch asked. Nathan proceeded to explain to him vaguely about what's going on between him, Haley, and Rachel.

"I'm sorry, man." Mitch expressed sympathetically.

"It's just been really hard. I miss her. I miss my daughter. I hate it." Nathan said sadly. Mitch looked at him unsure of what to say. Luckily, he didn't have to try to comfort his friend as Nathan spoke again. "Anyway, sorry to unload all of this on you. I think I'm just going to grab some paperwork and go home. Well, to my mom's house. I'll see you later." Nathan said as he patted Mitch on the shoulder before stepping into the elevator. Mitch waited for the elevator doors to close before he pulled out his cell phone and dialed a familiar number.

"Hey. What's going on?" The female voice asked.

"I can't do this anymore, Rachel." He said.

* * *

"Knock, knock." Deb said entering Nathan and Haley's house. She searched and found Haley in the living room sitting on the couch while Lexie was playing on the floor with some toys. "Hey, sweetie." She greeted her daughter-in-law walking further into the room.

"Hey, Deb." Haley greeted distractedly without looking up at her mother-in-law. She felt Deb sit down next to her on the couch. She felt as Deb reached out and enclosed her hand within her hands. "How is he?" Haley asked quietly.

"Not so good. He's miserable." Deb answered as Haley nodded sadly. "What about you? How are you?" Deb asked.

"Miserable. I miss him, Deb. I miss him so much." Haley said finally looking up to her.

"I know you do, sweetie." Deb said as she wrapped her arms around her. "Everything's going to be okay." She reassured.

"I don't know anymore. I don't know if anything's going to be okay ever again. I hate her, Deb. I hate her so much." Haley cried into Deb's side.

"I know, sweetie. Can I ask you something, Haley?" Deb asked as Haley nodded. "Do you believe Nathan at all?" She asked.

"You know, I really do. It's not really about that anymore." Haley answered.

"It's about Rachel being pregnant." Deb finished for her.

"Yeah. It's too hard to deal with. I don't know if I can stand by Nathan through all of this. Does that make me a horrible person?" Haley asked.

"Of course not, sweetie. This is a lot to deal with and to accept. Nobody expects you to be okay with this in just a couple of days. Take as much time as you need to figure everything out. If you jump into any decisions too quickly, you might regret it later. You're pregnant, Haley. You don't need to be stressing yourself out right now." Deb said as Haley nodded.  
They sat there in silence as Deb continued to comfort her daughter-in-law. "Deb, do you think you can watch Lexie for a little bit?" Haley asked after awhile.

"Of course. Where are you going?" Deb asked.

"I just need to go talk to Nathan." Haley said.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Deb asked.

"Yeah, I need to. Nothing's ever going to get resolved if we don't talk to each other." Haley answered.

"Two days." Deb commented as Haley looked at her confused. "It's only been two days since you've been away from each other, and you guys are already going crazy." Deb said with a slight laugh. "Love does that to you, you know." Deb smiled.

"I know." Haley said smiling at her mother-in-law. "I'm going to go talk to Nathan." She said as Deb nodded at her. Haley gave Lexie a kiss goodbye, said goodbye to Deb, and left the house.

It was about fifteen minutes later when she finally arrived at the company. She stepped off of the elevator and instantly was met with Stephanie. "Haley! Hi, what brings you by?" She asked pleasantly surprised at seeing her.

"Hi, Stephanie. I just need to talk to Nathan." Haley said.

"Oh, well, he left a few minutes ago." Stephanie said.

"Really? Where did he go?" Haley asked nervously.

"He said he was going home for the day." Stephanie answered.

"Okay, thank you. Are you heading home?" Haley asked.

"Yup. Nathan said that I can go home whenever I like." Stephanie said. They stepped onto the elevator and rode down together making small talk. Once they stepped off the elevator, Stephanie headed out of the building. Haley was stopped by a worker. The two talked for a couple minutes before ending their conversation. Haley made her way towards the front of the building but stopped suddenly when she saw Rachel out of the corner of her eye. She saw her talking to someone, but she couldn't see who. Her eyes traveled down to her growing stomach. Haley protectively placed her hands on her own stomach and felt the tears coming. She felt disgusted and was just about to run out of the building when she saw the person talking to Rachel. Mitch. "What are they doing together?" Haley asked herself. She payed close attention to the two and noticed their conversation seemed intense. She couldn't hear what they were arguing about, but she could tell that Rachel was angry. Haley grew curious as her mind began to jut all over the place for any sort of reason that Rachel and Mitch would be together. She rushed out of the building intent on getting down to the bottom of this.

"Rachel, I can't do this to Nathan or Haley anymore. They don't deserve this. We're messing with their lives. Is that what you really want?" Mitch said.

"I don't care if I'm messing up their perfect life with their perfect family and their perfect house and perfect company. This is about what I want. And I want Nathan, and I want his money." Rachel said.

"This is wrong." He said.

"You could go to jail, Mitch. If you decide to tell Nathan the truth, you will go to jail. There's two things I know about Nathan. One-he cares a great deal for this company and his family. And two-he will do anything to protect both. And you have messed with both. He's not just going to give you a slap on the wrist and say 'It's okay. Thanks for being honest with me. I'll let it slide this one time.' He'll fire you, and then, turn you into the cops. We agreed to this." She countered.

"No, you blackmailed me." He retorted.

"No, you walked into this all on your own buddy. You were stupid enough to get wasted and spill all about how you've been embezzling money from the company to me. And then, you were stupid enough to get wasted and sleep with me. Now, I'm pregnant. This is a win win for both of us. I keep your little secret while you help me. Do you want to be a father to this baby?" She asked.

"No, I would prefer you to have an abortion. No child deserves you as a mother." He shot out.

"Oh, believe me, I don't want this baby either. But it's the only way to keep my hooks into Nathan. And I'll have plenty of money later to hire a nanny to care for the damn thing." She said.

"I don't want to do this anymore, Rachel." He said again.

"That's too bad. We're finishing this. And if you even attempt to tell Nathan or Haley the truth, you will regret it." She warned one last time before rushing out of the building.

Haley entered Deb's house without knocking. She walked straight up the stairs and into Nathan's old bedroom. He looked up from the bed surprised to see Haley there. "Haley, what are you doing here? Is everything okay?" He asked concerned while standing up from his bed.

"Would there be any reason for Mitch and Rachel to be talking?" She asked straight to the point.

"What?" He asked confused.

"Mitch-one of our accountants. Would there be any reason for him to be talking to Rachel?" She asked again.

"No. I don't think they've even met before." He answered.

"Right. That's what I thought." She said pacing the floor.

"What's going on, Hales?" He asked while placing his hands on her shoulders haulting her movements.

"I just went to the company to see you, and I..."

"You went to see me?" He questioned instantly forgetting all about Rachel and Mitch.

"Yeah, I wanted to see you." She said softly as the two shared a small smile. "Anyway, I saw Rachel talking to Mitch. But they weren't talking. They were arguing." She said changing the subject back.

"About what?" He asked.

"I don't know. I couldn't hear them. But it looked intense. I mean, they were really arguing. Rachel looked pissed off." She said.

"That's strange. Why would they be together? How do they even know one another?" He asked just as confused as Haley was.

"I don't know, but you need to find out." She said sternly.

"What?" He asked.

"She's up to something. I don't know what it is, but I don't trust her. She's talking to someone who works for our company, Nathan. She has no reason to be talking to any of our employees. She may be a part of your life now, but she's not a part of this company. It's yours and mine. She has nothing to do with it. Get her away from it!" She warned angrily.

"Okay, Haley, just calm down. You're five months pregnant, and you don't need to get yourself all worked up like this. I'll take care of it, okay." He said.

"Okay. I'm sorry about getting so worked up. I just..." She began calming down.

"No, I understand. It's just Rachel." He said as they both shared a sad look. "So, what did you want to see me for?" He asked after a couple seconds of silence.

"Oh, nothing really. I just, I..." She began but stopped.

"Missed me." He finished for her with a slight smirk.

"Yeah." She admitted looking up at him. He saw the blush that covered her face. He knew she was embarrassed slightly. He took the opportunity to pull her closer to him. "I've missed you, too." He whispered into her ear. She shivered and closed her eyes at the feel of his hot breath against her skin. "I've missed you like crazy." He continued kissing her on her cheek before moving down and laying hot open-mouthed kisses along her neck. He smirked as she let out a soft moan.

Haley felt herself losing control. Her hormones were going crazy. But to be honest, she could blame it on her pregnancy hormones all she wanted, but the truth was that she wanted him. It didn't matter if she was pregnant or not, she wanted him. She could stop them. She should stop them, but she didn't want to. After everything that's happened the past couple of days, she wanted to be close to him. She wanted to feel him. She's wanted him since the second he kissed her before leaving their house. She reached down and pulled at the hem of his t-shirt before pushing it off his body. She made quick work of unbottoning his jeans and pushing them down his legs leaving him standing in front of her in nothing but his boxers.

Nathan was surprised by his wife's actions. He didn't expect her to let them get this far. And he could tell by the look on her face that she truly wanted this. He knew she wouldn't regret this. Once he realized this, he made quick work of undressing her. He picked her up and layed her down on his bed. They removed the rest of their clothing as he climbed on top of her careful not to put his weight onto her slightly rounded stomach. He leaned forward and kissed her hard and passionately. "Are you sure you want this, Haley?" He asked to be certain.

"Yes, I want this, Nathan." She confirmed. He moved his kisses back to her neck where he sucked vehemently on her skin as his hands roamed every inch of her body. He ran his finger up her center finding her completely ready for him. "Nathan, please." She pleaded with him after a second. Once he heard her pleading voice, he wasted no time plunging himself into her as they both let out a moan of relief. "God, Haley, I've missed you." He panted. She gripped his shoulders digging her nails into his bare skin. He didn't feel any pain, though. All he felt was pure pleasure. They met one another thrust for thrust. It didn't take long before they both reached their peak screaming out one another's names. He collapsed onto the bed with half of his body leaning against hers. He rested his damp forehead in the crook of her damp neck as he waited for their bodies to calm down. He moved his head foreward until he was looking directly into her eyes. They smiled shyly at one another before he leaned in to capture her in another kiss. Their tongues met, but it wasn't a frenzied kiss. It was slow and meaningful. He pulled back enough to look into her eyes. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of their heavy breathing as they stared at one another. "I love you." Nathan declared looking into his wife's shocked eyes.

"What?" She asked uncertain if she heard him correctly.

"I love you, Haley." He admitted finally. He watched as she gently pushed him off of her and jumped out of the bed. He watched as she scrambled around looking for her clothes. "Haley, please...please talk to me." He pleaded jumping out of the bed and throwing on his boxers.

"You can't say that to me, Nathan." She said.

"Why not? I do love yo..."

"No, stop it! You can't say that to me right now. Not now." She interrupted him.

"Why? Do you not believe me?" He asked fearing this would happen.

"No, it's not that at all. I do believe you. But you can't say that to me now. I knew I shouldn't have come here. I didn't want to give you any false hope. I don't want to say what just happened was a mistake, because it wasn't. But it also doesn't mean that everything is okay between us." She said while frantically throwing on her clothes.

"I know that, Haley. I don't expect us having sex to magically fix everything. I just...this is what I'm feeling. This is how I have been feeling for a long time now, and that felt like the right moment to tell you." He countered.

"It wasn't." She cried.

"Why not?" He asked exasperated.

"Because I don't want to hurt you if I decide I can't stand by you through all of this." She answered.

"Do you love me?" He asked. He waited for her to answer but nothing came out. "Do you love me, Haley?" He asked again.

"Yes. I love you so much. That's why all of this is so damn hard, Nathan. I just...I have to go." She cried running out of the bedroom. Nathan watched her run out. He didn't go after her. He knew if wouldn't do any good. He sat down on his bed as he stared towards his door. He felt a mix of emotions. He hated what just happened between them. But he also felt relieved and ecstatic that Haley felt the same way he did. At this point, he didn't know what to do anymore.

**Okay, there you guys go. Let me know what you think. Also, thank you again for your awesome reviews. You guys rock. And thank you to those of you who are reading but not reviewing. I hope you're still enjoying this story. Anyway, I should have another update for you guys sometime Monday. Until then!**


	32. Chapter 32

Haley stared at her cell phone sitting on her nightstand. She's been doing this for about an hour already. She kept contemplating whether or not to call Nathan. She would pick the phone up and start dialing his number before quickly placing it back down on the nightstand. She wanted to talk to him. She actually felt horrible for running out on him the way she did. She was just so blindsided by his declaration. She knew she shouldn't be. She's had this feeling deep inside that Nathan has felt that way about her for awhile now honestly. But she wasn't expecting him to admit his feelings in that moment. She wasn't prepared for that, and she wasn't ready to hear it. Why did he have to pick that moment? If it weren't for all of the crap they were dealing with, that would have been the perfect moment. But it wasn't. How was she supposed to respond? _"I love you, too, Nathan, but I have to go. I'm sorry I can't stand by you through this."_ Yeah, that would have been the perfect response. And that was practically how she responded, and she hated it. She hated herself for making him feel so hurt. She hated that he was probably somewhere regretting his admission because of her response.

Nathan sat at the bar in Tric. He had just downed his fifth shot of tequila and watched as Grubbs filled his sixth glass. He was well on his way to being drunk, and he didn't care. He needed to get his mind off what happened awhile ago. He was so stupid. He shouldn't have told Haley like that. There was this voice in his head telling him to keep quiet. But in that moment, he wasn't thinking about anything else. He wasn't thinking about Rachel. He wasn't thinking about the baby. All he was thinking about was Haley and how much he loves her. Before he could even stop himself, he said those three words. Those three words that if the circumstances were any different, would have meant everything to Haley and to their relationship. At that thought, he threw back his sixth shot. "Grubbs, another one." He called out.

"What's going on with you?" Grubbs asked as he approached his distressed friend.

"Nothing. I'm fantastic." Nathan shot out sarcastically.

"Really? You seem fantastic." Grubbs commented.

"Oh, I am. How's that shot coming?" Nathan slurred.

"Coming right up." Grubbs said before walking away in the opposite direction. He walked over to the end of the bar where the phone was located. He punched in some numbers and waited for an answer. After a couple rings, a groggy voice answered. "Hello."

"Hey, Lucas, it's Grubbs. Look, I'm sorry for calling so late, but your cousin's here. He's a little bit drunk right now, and it doesn't look like he's going to be letting up anytime soon. I was going to call Haley, but I know she's pregnant. I don't think she could or should be dealing with him right now." He said.

"Okay. I'll be right there." Lucas said before ending the call.

"What's going on?" Brooke asked as Lucas climbed out of bed searching for some clothes.

"Nathan." Lucas said with an eye roll.

"Okay. What's going on with Nathan?" Brooke prodded.

"He's drunk at Tric. I'm going to go get his ass before he does something stupid." Lucas shot out.

Nathan threw back his now eighth drink as Grubbs kept a close eye on him. Nathan was staring down at the bar playing with his shot glass. He felt someone brush up against him while taking a seat on the vacant stool next to him. He looked up and saw Rachel sitting there with a smile on her face. "What the hell do you want?" He seethed.

"Oh, come on, Nate, don't be like that. We could have some fun." She said while running her hand along his jean-clad thigh seductively. She was somewhat miffed when he immediately latched onto her hand and pushed it off of him. "I may be drunk, but I'm not that drunk. And just so you know, I'm completely satisfied without you. In fact, Haley and I had some pretty amazing sex just a few hours ago. I'm perfectly content, thank you very much." He said.

"Really? So, why are you drowning your sorrows right now? The sex must not have been that good." She countered.

"Leave me the hell alone, Rachel!" He yelled.

"Ooh, did I hit a nerve?" She taunted.

"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be back in Charlotte?" He asked.

"I was going to go back, but I heard that Haley found out about us." She said.

"Yeah, speaking of that. Was it you?" He asked.

"Me what?" She played dumb.

"Cut the shit, Rachel. Was it you who gave Haley that tape?" He glared at her.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I never gave Haley any tape." She stated.

"You're such a bitch, you know that? You are an aweful person, and I hate you." He declared.

"You didn't hate me about six months ago." She smirked.

"I wish I had never met you. I hate you!" He yelled while standing up only to stumble off of the stool. He was caught just before he hit the ground. He looked up and saw his cousin. "Luke! Hey, man, what's up?" He yelled enthusiastically.

"Nathan, come on. Let's get you home." Lucas said in irritation.

"What home?" Nathan scoffed. "This is my new home. Me and Grubbs here are roomates." He continued while laughing and pointing to the bartender who shook his head in mild amusement.

"Let's go, Nate." Lucas said as he led his cousin away from the bar.

"Do you need any help?" Rachel purred.

"I think you've done enough." Lucas shot out as Rachel sent him an innocent smile. Lucas rolled his eyes before focusing his attention back to Nathan. After a lot of struggle, he finally got Nathan to climb into his car. He decided against driving to Deb's house. He didn't want to wake her up, and he didn't want to make her deal with him. He drove the short distance to his home. He struggled some more getting Nathan inside, but he finally managed to. He dropped him down to the couch in the living room where he instantly passed out. Lucas watched him for a couple seconds while shaking his head before trotting back up the stairs. He undressed and plopped on the bed exhausted. "Is everything okay?" Brooke asked.

"Yeah. Let's just go to sleep." He said wrapping his arms around his wife as they both fell back into a deep slumber.

* * *

Brooke stared down to the figure sleeping on her couch. This is the first time she's seen or talked to him since finding out about Rachel. She was still angry with him even though she talked with Deb, and they both agreed something wasn't quite right. She was in full protective mode over her best friend at this moment. She bent down and slapped him hard on his forehead while yelling "Wake up!"

"Damnit! What the hell, Brooke?" Nathan groaned while rubbing his forehead which was all red.

"Wake up! Get your lazy, drunkass off of my couch." She said while stomping out of the living room. Nathan rubbed his face a couple times before slowly standing up from the couch. His headached hit him full force as all of the blood came rushing to his head. He groaned once again before walking the short distance to the kitchen. He saw Brooke facing the stove with her back turned to him. He noticed Faith in her high chair and instantly walked to her. "Hey, Faith. How's it going, my gorgeous goddaughter?" He said while picking her up and cuddling her in his arms. She looked up to him and giggled.

"That's great, Nathan. Go ahead and pick up my daughter while you reek of booze." Brooke bit out.

"Oh lighten up, Brooke." He said rolling his eyes turning his attention back to the little girl in his arms. "Right, Faith. Tell mommy to lighten up." He laughed as the girl giggled even harder. He heard Brooke scoff and sent a smug smile her way.

"Whatever. Here. Put her down and come eat something." She said setting down a plate of food and a cup of coffee. He did as he was told and placed Faith back in her high chair before strolling over to the breakfast table. He took a seat and instantly took a drink of the hot coffee. "Thanks, Brooke. I didn't know you cared so much." He deadpanned.

"I don't. It's just, the faster you sober up, the faster you can get the hell out of my house." She retorted.

"Such language. Geez, Brooke, your daughter is in the room." He smirked causing her to roll her eyes. A second later, she moved Faith's high chair over to the breakfast table while taking a seat. She began to feed the little girl while both she and Nathan kept quiet. It was a few seconds later that she finally spoke. "So, what happened?"

"What are you talking about?" He asked confused.

"Last night? Why did you get so drunk?" She clearified.

"I was...I umm, it was nothing." He stammered out quietly.

"Is this nothing something I should probably go check on Haley for?" She asked.

"No." He simply said.

"What happened, Nathan? I know I seem like I'm on Haley's side, but I'm on both of your sides. I want you two to be together. Maybe I can help. What happened?" She asked sincerely.

"Haley came over to my mom's house yesterday. We talked for a little bit before we admitted that we missed one another. One thing led to another, and we had sex. Right after, I...I umm, I told her I loved her." He admitted quietly.

"Wow. It's about time you finally told her how you feel. So, what happened?" She asked.

"She freaked out. She said I shouldn't have told her. She said she loved me, too before taking off out the door." He replied sadly.

"I'm sorry, Nathan. She's hurt right now. But you've got to know that she wasn't lying when she said she loves you. I know for a fact that's true. She told me a long time ago how she felt about you. That's not a lie. Things are just so confusing and so difficult for her right now." She tried reassuring him.

"I know. I understand that. I just, maybe I shouldn't have said anything. She was right. It wasn't the right time. I wanted the moment I told her to be perfect. After everything, I wanted that one moment to be absolutely perfect." He said.

"Nothing ever goes the way we plan, Nathan. The moment might not have been perfect considering the circumstances, but maybe on some level it was the right time. Maybe this is what you guys needed to help you get through this together." She suggested.

"Then why did she freak out and leave?" He asked.

"She just got scared. She probably just needed some time alone to think." She said. She watched as he shook his head in protest. "Listen, just go talk to her, Nathan. You two have a lot to talk about and work through." She said as he solemnly nodded at her. "Maybe go back to your mom's and take a shower first and put on some clean clothes." She said as the two laughed.

"Thanks, Brooke." He said in appreciation.

"You're welcome." She said. He stood up stating he was going to call a cab before making his way towards the entrance to the kitchen. "Hey, Nathan. Can I ask you something?" She asked stopping his movements as he turned and nodded at her. "What was the name of the hotel you stayed at in Charlotte for that business trip you took?" She asked.

"The Hilton Charlotte Center City Hotel. Why?" He questioned confused.

"Oh, no reason. Lucas and I were planning on getting away for a couple days without Faith. I heard that hotel is absolutely gorgeous, but I couldn't remember the name of it. Thanks." She said hoping he'll accept her answer. He nodded at her still confused before exiting the kitchen. She waited until he was completely out of sight before picking up her cell phone and dialing Deb's number. "Hi, Brooke." Deb answered after a few rings.

"Hey, Deb. So, do you have any plans today?" Brooke asked.

* * *

Nathan walked into his office. It was a couple hours after he left Brooke and Lucas's house. He went to his mom's house, took a shower, and got dressed. He was going to go home and talk to Haley, but he decided not to. He didn't want to push her, and he didn't want to put her on the spot or anything. He knew she would talk when she was ready. He knew for a fact that she will. That's the type of person she is. She's someone who just needs some time to cool off before deciding what her next move would be. He didn't know how long he would have to wait before she decided to talk to him, but he was willing to wait as long as it took. While showering, he kept replaying what happened the night before in his mind. After reevaluating everything, he understood why she reacted the way she did. He also kept replaying Brooke's words to him as well. He knew that Haley probably was just scared and needed some time to think. He knows she feels the same way about him. He knows she loves him. She told him so, and he believes her. He believes Brooke. Now, he just needed to be patient and let her come to him when she's ready.

He looked over at his clock and noticed it was sixteen passed eight. He knew Stephanie would be arriving in about forty minutes. He was looking forward to a few minutes of nothing but complete silence. He looked at his desk and eyed the of unfinished paperwork sitting on it. He groaned in frustration. With everything going on, he's been neglecting the company. He wasn't worried about it, because he had complete faith in his employees. He knew he would be the first to know if there was a problem of any kind. He just didn't realize how much paperwork he had to finish up. He sighed before pulling off the first set of documents intent to get started.

Deb and Brooke walked through the magnificent hotel making their way over to the front desk. Deb took in the familiar sight. She remembered coming here with Dan, Jimmy, and Lydia a few times. Sometimes for business and sometimes just for a small vacation. She had forgotten how much she loved this hotel, and this city. She was hit with a wave of memories and felt nostalgic. She smiled as she continued her steps with Brooke right by her side. After a few more steps, they arrived at the front desk. "Hello. Welcome to The Hilton Charlotte Center City Hotel. My name is Natalie. How may I help you?" A polite, young woman asked greeting the two women.

"Hello. I was wondering if Tom Hearing was still the manager?" Deb asked.

"Yes, he is. Is there a problem?" The girl asked.

"Oh, no, not at all. The hotel is just lovely and absolutely fabulous." Deb reasured quickly as the two girls shared a smile. "I am an old guest, and we knew each other. I haven't been able to stay here in a few years, and I was hoping for the chance to catch up with him." She continued.

"Of course. Let me call and see if he has some time available. What is your name?" Natalie asked.

"Deborah Scott." Deb answered. The girl smiled at her before picking up the phone. Deb and Brooke shared a glance with one another while waiting for an answer. After a couple minutes, the girl hung up the phone. "Well, he said he will be free in about ten minutes. He definitely remembers you. He said to go ahead and wait for him in the lounge. Order some food and beverages on him. He'll meet you down here as soon as he's finished." Natalie said.

"Thank you so much." Deb said as she and Brooke headed into the lounge.

After about ten minutes, Deb's face brightened as she saw Tom approaching the table with his own gigantic smile. He quickly embraced the woman tightly. "Deborah Scott! It's so wonderful to see you again." He exclaimed.

"It's wonderful seeing you again, Tom, too." She returned the greeting. The two broke apart but still held onto each other.

"I was so devastated when I heard about the accident. I'm so sorry to hear about Dan, Jimmy, and Lydia. You have no idea the wave of happiness I felt when I heard that you had woken up from your coma. I swear I cried." He said as the two shared a smile. "How are you doing?" He asked.

"I'm wonderful. I'm fully recovered, and I'm getting my life back on track." She answered.

"That's amazing. And who's this gorgeous young woman?" He asked noticing Brooke sitting at the table.

"This is my nephew's wife, Brooke Scott. Brooke, this is Tom Hearing." Deb introduced. Tom and Brooke shook hands before Tom and Deb joined Brooke at the table. The three of them chatted for close to half an hour before Deb changed the subject. "Tom, I am in desperate need of some help. I hate to ask, but I have a huge favor to ask of you." She said.

"Absolutely. What do you need, darling?" He asked immediately.

"I know there aren't any security tapes inside the rooms, but do still have the security tapes for the rest of the hotel from about six months ago." She asked.

"Do you have a specific date in mind?" He asked.

"Yes, actually. October sixth." Deb answered.

"Well, how about we go take a look. Follow me girls." He said as the three of them made their way out of the lounge.

The three of them made their way back into the security room. A couple of his security guards sorted through some old dvds before finding the date they were looking for. They pulled out five dvds and handed them over to Tom. "Okay, we have tapes from the main entrance and the front desk. We have one from the lounge, the swimming pool, the elevators, and the hallways to the rooms." He answered. "So, what are we looking for?" He asked as they placed the first disc into the dvd player.

"My son, Nathan, had a business trip here six months ago. He checked in on Friday and stayed until Saturday. I need to see all of the footage of him from the time he arrived here until he checked out." Deb answered.

"Okay, no problem. Why don't you two pull up a chair, and we'll look through the footage." He said as the two girls did just that. They rolled through the first disc and watched Nathan check into the hotel. There was nothing suspicious about that. They fast forward through the swimming pool dvd expecting nothing to be on that one, and there wasn't. They got to the dvd of the lounge. They fast forward until they spotted Nathan walking in with a couple employees. They stopped and watched as the three guys sat at the bar and ordered some drinks. "I don't recognize any of these guys. Do you?" Deb asked Brooke.

"Yes, actually. That one is Landon." Brooke stated pointing to the guy to Nathan's right side. "And that one is Mitch." She said pointing to the guy on Nathan's left side. "They've come over to the house for poker night a couple times with Lucas, Nathan, and a few other guys. That's pretty much all I know about them, though." She further explained.

They watched as Nathan finished off his first beer before ordering another one. So far, nothing has happened. They watched as Nathan stood up and headed towards what looked like the bathroom. "Wait, what was that?" Brooke asked.

"What?" Deb asked curiously.

"Can you go back and zoom into Landon and Mitch at the bar?" Brooke asked. The tech guys did as she asked. "There." She said as they watched in slow motion. They watched as Mitch dropped a couple pills of some kind in Nathan's beer. "Oh my gosh! That little..." Deb began in anger. They continued watching as Nathan returned back to the bar. The guys finished their drinks before standing up and leaving the lounge. They switched the dvd to the elevator. They watched as Landon went off on the first floor while Mitch and Nathan continued riding up. They noticed Nathan feeling the effects of the drug as he kept holding onto his head and leaning against the wall of the elevator. Deb felt herself growing angrier and angrier as she watched this. She couldn't believe someone could do this to her son. They watched as the elevator opened on a floor and Rachel stepped into the elevator. They watched some more before finally landing on his floor. They once again switched the tape to one of the hallways. They watched as Mitch and Rachel dragged a drugged Nathan to his room. They pulled out his room key and struggled getting him into the room. The door shut a few seconds later. They continued watching for several minutes before the door opened again and Mitch snuck out of the room and back into the elevator. They fast forwarded through the rest of the tape until there was nothing left.

Tom quickly sent his tech guys to pull out the tape from October seventh. They found what they were searching for and placed the dvd from the hallways into the dvd player. They picked up right where the last tape left off. It was about five in the morning when they saw Rachel sneaking out of the room. It was close to five hours later that they saw Nathan walking out of the room. He had his bags with him, and he looked like he was suffering from a major hangover. They finished watching the rest of the dvds from that day and saw nothing else suspicious.

"That little bitch!" Deb shot out. "Why the hell don't you have security tapes in the rooms?" She scolded while gently slapping Tom on the arm.

"Hey, no need for the violence. I'm sorry I can't help you with that one, Deb." He said sympathetically.

"It's okay. Now, we just need to know what happened in that room. We know there's a tape. But how are we going to get our hands on it?" Deb wondered aloud.

"Oh, there's always a way, Deb." Brooke spoke up.

* * *

Nathan had just finished his last document from his stack of papers. He had been working on his paperwork for the entire day. He was exhausted. His whole body was aching. He let out a groan as he looked at the clock. It was a quarter passed six o'clock. Stephanie had already left for the day along with everyone else. He couldn't go home yet. It wasn't even his home anymore. He wanted to go home-to his real home. He heard the doorknob turning and wondered who in the world that could be. He stood up just as he saw Haley walking in with a sleepy Lexie in her arms. "Hey." He greeted surprised.

"Hey." She greeted awkwardly. "I thought you might want to see Lexie." She said.

"I do. Thank you." He said taking the little girl out of her arms and embracing her tightly. "Hey sweetie. Daddy's missed you." He said. Haley smiled at the sight. A few minutes of silence passed as Nathan continued holding Lexie while Haley watched the sweet scene. "I think she's fast asleep." He commented quietly.

"She's tired." Haley laughed slightly. Nathan pulled out some blankets from the closet and bundled her up on the couch before turning his attention back to Haley. "How are you?" He asked quietly.

"I'm good." She answered. Silence crept through the room as the two avoided looking at one another. "I'm sorry about last night." She finally voiced quietly.

"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. You were right, it wasn't the right time." He said walking over to his desk and sitting on the edge of it.

"I hate this. That's not how I wanted the night to go." She said.

"It's okay. Just so you know, though, I was being completely honest with you. I do love you, Haley." He stated as she nodded at him. "Did you mean it?" He asked after a couple of seconds. He watched as she walked over to him until she was standing in between his legs. She cupped his cheeks in her hands. "Yes, I did. I love you, too, Nathan." She answered.  
He wrapped his arms around her waist as she wrapped hers around his neck. The two clung to each other tightly. "I love you so much, Nathan. That's why this is all so hard." She whispered moving until her head was nestled into the crook of her neck.

"I know. I'm sorry for putting us through this. I hate this." He said.

"I want to stand by you through this, Nathan. Now more than ever. I'm trying really hard to be okay with this. I really am. I want you to know that. I love you, and I'm trying." She said as a couple tears fell down her cheek.

"I know, and I'm so grateful for that. It means so much to me that you're willing to try even if I don't deserve it. I don't want to pressure you or push you. I just want you. I don't want to lose you or Lexie." He stated. He felt her move until she was staring directly into her eyes. "You won't lose us. We're still here. It's just going to take some time." She said as he nodded at her. She leaned forward and brushed her lips against his. The two lost themselves for a few minutes. They broke apart trying to catch their breaths. "Do you...I mean, would you want to come home with us tonight?" She asked timidly. Nathan smiled widely at her in relief. "Yes, definitely." He answered as she smiled shyly at him.

"In the guest bedroom, though." She added quickly.

"Of course." He replied in understanding. He didn't care which room he slept in just as long as he was in that house with them.

"So, are you finished here or do yo..."

"Yes, I'm finished. Let's go home." He interrupted her.

"Yes. Let's go home." She agreed with a smile. She watched as he gathered his stuff together. He then leaned down and swooped Lexie into his arms wrapped in a blanket. Haley looped her arm through his free arm as the two shared a look before leaving the office together with Lexie. He reached out and flipped the light off while shutting the door behind them.

**Okay, there you go. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was pretty light, but very meaningful. I hope that last scene somewhat made up for the ILY's during the last chapter! I'm sorry there wasn't much Nathan and Haley together. But the next couple of chapters will be heavy with Naley! Deb and Brooke are getting close to discovering the truth, and let's just say that Nathan and Haley are going to start doing their own investigating as well. Anyway, let me know what you guys think! ****I should have another chapter up for you guys, I'm hoping on Wednesday night/early Thursday morning. Until then!**


	33. Chapter 33

**Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry you guys. I had just moved into my new apartment, and between unpacking/decorating and working, I haven't found the time to write. I have been so tired the passed couple of weeks. I didn't want to do a half-ass job on the chapters either. Today, I got to leave work early. And my apartment is pretty much done. I finally found some time to sit down and focus on writing. But anyway, here's another chapter. Enjoy!**

Nathan woke up feeling completely rested. This is the first time in days that he's felt even remotely this good and well-rested. He climbed out of the bed and headed down the hall. He first went to Lexie's room and saw her still sleeping peacefully. He smiled before quietly creeping back out of the room. He then made his way over to Haley's bedroom. He walked in and noticed her sound asleep on the bed. She was laying on her back. Her hair was spawn all over her pillow with her comforter draped halfway across her body. Her right arm was laying against the pillow while her left hand was placed protectively on her small protruding stomach. He crept carefully over to the left side of the bed and crouched down until he was at eye-level with his wife. She looked so peaceful and beautiful in this moment. It was as if she had no care in the world. He watched as she wrinkled her nose and moved her hand up to scratch it. He couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. He continued watching her for a few more minutes before standing up and leaving the bedroom. He walked down to the kitchen intent on cooking some breakfast.

"Good morning." Haley greeted quietly walking into the kitchen fifteen minutes later. Nathan turned from his spot in front of the stove and instantly smiled when he saw her. "Hey. Good morning. Did you sleep well?" He asked.

"Yes, I did. You?" She asked.

"Great. It's nice to be back home. Thank you, Haley." He replied as she nodded at him. "Well, take a seat. I made us some breakfast." He continued as she took a seat on one of the stools in front of the island. The two ate in a comfortable silence stealing glances at one another every so often. Once they had both finished eating, they began cleaning up the mess. "So, what are your plans for the day?" Haley asked joining Nathan by the sink.

"I don't know." He answered.

"What about work?" She asked.

"I'm kind of tired. I don't think I can go in there today and deal with the neverending paperwork." He said.

"I could go in with you." She proposed quietly as he looked to her suddenly with a surprised expression on his face. "Your mom's going to take Lexie for the day. We could both go into the office and try to catch up on all of the work together." She continued.

"Haley, you don't have to do that." He said.

"No, I want to." She said immediately. "I feel so out of touch with the company. I know I haven't been around or helpful with any of the decisions. I miss it, and I want to get back into it. I want to get more involved like I was when we first got married." She explained.

"I think that sounds great." He said as they shared a small smile. After a couple seconds, Nathan let out a dramatic sigh. "What's wrong?" Haley asked concerned and confused.

"I just realized how much work I have to catch you up on. You've been absent for so long." He began as she dropped her mouth open in shock feeling hurt and upset. "I mean, it's not like you've had an excuse. You've only been taking care of our baby and now pregnant with another one. Ridiculous excuse." He continued before sending a playful smirk her way. Her hurt expression turned into a smile. She lightly shoved him while letting out a small laugh. "I'm just saying." He said while holding his hands up in defense. She smirked before splashing some water running from the faucet onto him. "Hey!" He exclaimed as she held up her hands in defense. It was his turn to splash some water on her. It wasn't long before a full blown water fight erupted between the two. Nathan moved in front of her placing his hands on the sides of her body boxing her in. "That was very mean, Hales." He said.

"It wasn't anything you didn't deserve." She countered smiling innocently up at him.

"Really." He said leaning closer to her.

"Really." She said staring momentarily at his lips before her eyes traveled back up to his piercing blue eyes.

"Hello! Is anyone home?" They heard a voice call out causing them to spring apart quickly just before Deb came walking into the kitchen. "There you are." She said looking at Nathan. He gave her a questioning look indicating his confusion. "You didn't come home last night, and I was wondering where you ran off to." She continued.

"Oh. I stayed here last night." He revealed as he shared a small smile with Haley. Deb grinned happily at the exchange she had just witnessed. She wanted to ask what that meant. Did it mean that things were good between them? Or did it simply mean that he stayed there last night but nothing was resolved? She wanted to ask them, but she didn't want to cause any tension or weirdness between them either just in case it was the latter question. "Well, I was just coming by to get Lexie. Is she up and ready?" She asked breaking the two out of their trance.

"She was still sleeping the last time I checked. I'll go get her ready." Haley answered.

"Oh, sweetie. Don't worry about it. I've got her. It looks like you've got some cleaning to do." Deb said pointing towards the water mess on the floor. "What happened there?" She asked.

"Haley's pregnancy hormones are in full gear today. I was in here making breakfast for us, and she just randomly began attacking me with some water." Nathan said. "Ouch!" He yelped after Haley smacked him on his arm. He looked over to her rubbing his arm as she sent him a playful glare. "Whatch yourself, Nathan Scott. You lie-I hit." She said. Deb laughed at the scene playing out in front of her. "Oh, Hales." Nathan said as he threw his arms around Haley holding her tightly against his chest as the two were laughing and lost in their own little world. Deb took the opportunity to sneak away from the room unnoticed and made her way up the stairs to get Lexie.

* * *

"Hi, Mr. Scott. Oh, hi, Mrs. Scott." Stephanie greeted as Nathan and Haley stepped off of the elevator. "Are you working today?" She asked directing the question towards Haley.

"Yeah, actually I am. We have a lot of work to catch up on, don't we?" Haley answered looking at Nathan.

"Yes, we do." He agreed.

"Well, that's wonderful." Stephanie said.

"I don't have any meetings scheduled today or anything, do I?" Nathan asked.

"Nope. Your schedule is all clear." Stephanie answered.

"Okay. Well, you know where to find us if you need us." Nathan said as he and Haley walked into his office. Stephanie smiled as she watched the couple disappear into his office. She knew things have been rough between the two of them lately, and she loved seeing them this way. They looked happy and like the way they used to be.

Deb was currently sitting on the floor in her living room playing with Lexie when she heard the doorbell ring. She made sure Lexie was okay before walking towards the front door. She swung the door open and found Brooke standing on the other side. "Hey, Brooke. What brings you by today?" She asked.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Brooke asked quickly.

"Oh, no. I'm just watching Lexie for the day. Come on in." Deb said ushering the girl inside. The two women made their way into the family room. Brooke swooped Lexie up in her arms. "Hey, sweetie. How's my beautiful goddaughter?" She said.

"Booke." Lexie giggled smiling brightly at her.

"Yup, that's me, sweetie." Brooke said laughing. She held Lexie for a couple minutes longer before setting her back down on the floor in front of her toys. She took a seat next to Deb on the couch. "So, what brings you by?" Deb asked.

"Well, I have a plan to swipe a certain tape from a certain person." Brooke said.

"Okay. How do you plan on doing that?" Deb asked.

"Simple. I'm just going to break into her beach house. I've been watching her since a couple days before we went to Charlotte. I think I've got her routine down pact. I know the perfect time to break into that little psychotic red-head's house." Brooke answered.

"Brooke, be careful, sweetie. I don't want you to get caught or hurt or anything. Who knows what that girl's capable of?"  
Deb cautioned.

"Oh, I'll be fine, Deb. I can handle Rachel. But thanks for the concern. Well, it looks like you've got your hands full. I'm going to go spy on Rachel and wait until she leaves for the day. I'll call you or stop by with the details." Brooke said.

"Okay, sweetie. I'll see you later." Deb said.

"Bye." Brooke said. She bent down and gave Lexie a kiss on the cheek before rushing out of the house.

* * *

Nathan and Haley were currently sitting on the couch in his office working on the last of the paperwork. Nathan was sitting on one side while Haley was stretched along the length of the couch with her feet plopped up in Nathan's lap. There was a blanket draped along her body due to the chilly temperature in the office. Nathan set down his packet of papers before stetching his arms and his back. He dipped his hand under the blanket and began massaging Haley's feet.

"That feels so good, Nathan." Haley moaned out as Nathan smirked at her. She was leaning her head back against the arm of the couch and had her eyes snapped shut. A few minutes of silence passed by before Haley spoke. "Nathan, we need to talk." She began as he looked at her confused. "About Rachel." She continued.

"What about her?" He asked timidly. Things were going so well between them right now, and he didn't know what to expect after she said that name.

"Look, I know this isn't something either one of us wants to talk about. And I don't want to start anything up between us-not with how well everything has been. I meant what I said last night. I want to be here for you through this. I want to stand by you. It's you, me, Lexie, and this little guy." She said pointing to her stomach as they shared a quiet laugh. "But that doesn't change the fact that Rachel is pregnant. She's having a baby whether we like it or not. And it's yours."

"I know." He said waiting for her to continue.

"Do you know what the baby is?" She asked.

"It's a boy." He answered.

"Wow, that...that's awesome. Now, Lexie will have two brothers to watch over her and protect her." She said with tears in her eyes.

"Haley, I..."

"No, don't say anything. Let me finish what I'm going to say." She interrupted gently as he nodded. "I don't want to be the reason why you don't know or spend time with your other child. I don't want you to feel like you have to choose between him or us. And don't say you wouldn't. You would. And you would choose us. And I love you for that, I do. But it's not right. Whether we like it or not, you're having another baby. And you should be a part of his life. Yes, it's going to be hard. And yes, it's not going to be pleasant dealing with Rachel. But I'm here to help you with that. I'm not going anywhere. I'm not, okay?" She finished.

"Okay." He said in relief.

"Last night, I was also thinking about something. This was not an easy thing for me to think about, but it was necessary. I was thinking that maybe you should try to get custody of the baby." She suggested quietly.

"Are you serious?" He asked shocked looking at her suddenly.

"Yes, I am. I'm not saying this because I don't like Rachel. Honestly, I'm not. But I don't think she's fit to care for a child. I truly hate saying that. But I sincerely feel this way. That girl has issues. And I'm not saying you should cut her out of the baby's life completely. I just don't think she should be the sole gaudian." She said.

"Haley, are you sure about this? This isn't just about me anymore. This is about you and Lexie and our baby. I've already forced us into this situation. I don't want to put you guys into anymore." He said.

"I'm not going to lie, Nathan. This is hard on me-really hard. I hate the fact that you're having a baby with someone else, especially Rachel. Do I wish she wasn't pregnant? Yes. Do I wish she would disappear from our lives completely? Yes. But none of that is this baby's fault. This is an innocent child who has done nothing wrong. It's your child. And I love you. And I will love this child, because it's a part of you and by default, a part of our children. I want this. I want us to try to obtain sole custody for this baby." She said. It was silent between them for a few seconds.

"I love you, you know that. You are the most amazing woman, Haley James Scott. You are the most selfless, giving person I have ever met. I don't deserve you, but I'm thankful everyday that you are mine. I love you so much." He said.

"I love you, too." She said. She moved to sit up on the couch as he quickly held out his hands to help her. He pulled her up until she was sitting right up against him with her chest touching his shoulder. The two found themselves lost in a passionate kiss. After the need for air became too strong, the two broke apart. "I guess I need to contact Micheal and get all of the papers set up. Rachel's going to flip when she finds out. We might be spending a lot of time in court. Are you ready for that?" Nathan asked.

"I am. I think this is what's best for everyone. I know the judges like to side with the mother, but I think we have a really good shot. I'm ready to deal with whatever Rachel throws our way." Haley answered.

"Thank you, Hales." He said quietly expressing so much emotion with just those three words.

"You're welcome." She stated in understanding. A few moments of comfortable silence passed between them. "Nathan, I want to ask you something. And I really don't want to start a fight with you, and I will try to keep myself from getting upset and angry." Haley began.

"Okay, what is it?" He asked nervously. He watched as she hesitated a moment as if debating whether or not to actually ask her question. "Those weeks that you were so distant with me and Lexie...those weeks that you always came home so late..." She hesitated once again.

"Yeah...?" He prodded.

"Were you spending your time with Rachel?" She asked quietly-so quietly he almost didn't hear her. He watched her facial expressions closely. Her eyes were glistening with tears, her skin was pale-she looked terrified of his answer but at the same time, desperate for his answer. He gently pulled her on top of him so she was strattling his lap. She was looking down afraid to make eye contact with him. He cupped her cheeks in his hands and moved her face to look at him directly. "No." He answered.

"Really?" She asked.

"Really. I went with her once to a doctor's appointment and once I took her to lunch to discuss the baby. But that's all." He reassured.

"Okay." She breathed out in relief as a couple tears strolled down her cheek. He quickly brushed them away with his thumbs. "So, where were you?" She asked.

"Honestly, here most of the time. The other times, I went down to the rivercourt or just drove around town. I just...I couldn't go back home. I felt so guilty every time I saw you and Lexie. I was being a coward. I couldn't face either of you. And when I found out you were pregnant, I felt even more guilty. I'm sorry, Haley." He answered.

"It's okay. We're in this together now, right?" She said.

"Yes, we are." He agreed as they shared a smile followed by a sweet kiss. After they broke apart, Haley leaned back down against the couch flat on her back. Nathan was quick to follow as he stretched his body next to her as he layed on his side. "Baby's kicking." Haley stated placing his hand on her stomach with hers covering his. "He might be a soccer player. Will you be okay with that? I know how much you love basketball." She stated.

"I don't know. I might not be able to accept him if he chooses any sport other than basketball." He joked.

"You're terrible." She laughed slapping him lightly on his chest causing him to laugh.

"I'm just kidding. I will love him no matter what he does or who he becomes." He says. "So, have you been thinking of any names?" He asked.

"Not really, honestly." She answered.

"I kind of thought of one." He announced timidly.

"Okay, what is it?" She inquired curiously.

"Well, I know how much you loved your dad. I loved your dad like he was my own father. I was thinking we could name the baby after him. Well, technically, after your whole family." He began.

"Okay, what is it?" She laughed trying to get him to answer.

"I was thinking James. James Scott." He revealed. He smiled as he saw the big smile that swept across her face.

"James Lucas Scott." She said.

"James Lucas Scott." He agreed. "Nathan, Haley, Alexie, and James-it's perfect." He said.

Nathan and Haley layed there for the next hour doing nothing but cuddling and talking. They talked about anything and everything. Things were still not completely right between them, but they were getting there. They both were starting to realize that communication was the key. Instead of yelling at each other, they talked gently in a calm manner. And they listened to each other. Haley couldn't lie. She was still struggling with everything concerning Rachel and the baby. She knew that, and Nathan knew that. Those feelings and insecurities wouldn't just disappear overnight. But as much as she hated the situation, she loved Nathan more. She was willing to fight for him. She wasn't going to let Rachel win either. Leaving Nathan completely would be feeding into what Rachel wants. Haley wasn't about to make any of this easy on her. She was determined to fight for her family. And she'd be damned if she was going to let Rachel stand in her way.

"Rachel, there has to be another way. I can't do this anymore. Nathan is such a great guy and amazing boss. I was wrong when I took that money. I was desperate, and at the time, it was my only way out. I knew the money would go unnoticed due to the small amount. I made a promise to myself to replace the money once I got my life back on track. I never expected it to escalade into something like this. And Haley doesn't deserve this. She's such an amazingly, sweet..."

"Stop right there!" Rachel interrupted Mitch furiously. "Haley doesn't deserve anything. She already has everything. She has the big house, the multi-million dollar company, the family fortune, and Nathan. She has it all. I had Nathan first. And if I hadn't ended things with him, I would be in her shoes right now. It's my turn to get what I want and deserve. And I want that money, and I want Nathan." She sneered.

"What about the baby?" Mitch asked heatedly.

"Who the hell cares about the baby? I certainly don't. This baby is just the means to an end. Once I have Nathan and the money, I'm gonna hire a nanny to take care of the stupid thing. And then, when it's old enough, I'm going to ship it away to some boarding school far away. We've been over this, Mitch. This baby was just a product of a dumb, drunken mistake. But now, it's what I need to get me what I want right now. You don't even want this baby-you said so yourself." She threw out at him.

"You're right. I don't want this baby. I've never wanted children, but I'm also not heartless. I may not want it, but it's still an innocent child. A child that another family desperate for their own family could adopt and care for. It doesn't deserve to be used for your own selfish needs and wants. You're pathetic." He retorted.

"I'm pathetic? In case you forgot, you agreed to this _pathetic_ plan of mine. Suck it up, and deal with it now!" She warned.

"No, not anymore. I'm done, Rachel. I'm going to Nathan, and I'm going to tell him the truth. I'm not scared of you or your threats any longer. I've played my part in this. I even started it on my own, but now I'm finishing it. I'm putting an end to this. You better enjoy this while you can. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go find Nathan." He said.

"I wouldn't if I were you, Mitch. I'm warning you. You will not know what hit you if you ruin this for me. You think I'm ruining your life now-just wait and see." She warned as they glared at one another. He angrily stalked out of the room. "Watch your back!" She screamed out to him threateningly just before the front door slammed shut.

* * *

"Well, that was my mom." Nathan stated placing his cell phone down on the arm of the couch. "She wants to keep Lexie for the night. I told her that was fine. She said she'll bring her back tomorrow afternoon." He said.

"Okay. I'm sure Lexie is loving that. She certainly loves spending the night with her Grandma Deb. I hope Deb still has her strength for both Lexie and Jamie." Haley commented.

"I think taking care of Lexie actually gives my mom all of her strength. I know she's so excited for the new baby." He said.

"She's not the only one. Gosh, Nathan, I can't wait for him to get here. I remember all of those first moments with Lexie, and I get so excited." She said.

"I know. Me, too. Speaking of that. What do you want to do in terms of the baby's room?" He asked apprehensively. She looked at him confused having no clue what he was trying to say. "I mean, our house only has three bedrooms. Yours, Lexie's, and the guest bedroom-my bedroom. What happens when he comes?" He clearifies.

"Oh, well, I was thinking that we would turn the guest bedroom into his bedroom." She answered.

"But what about me? Where am I going to sleep-the living room?" He semi-joked.

"No." She said letting out a small laugh. "I guess this just means that you'll have to move back into the master bedroom with me-our bedroom." She said quietly.

"Really?" He asked with a goofy grin on his face. He tried to keep his face neutral, but it seemed almost impossible. Hearing those words come out of Haley's mouth had been the best news all day.

"Really." She confirmed matching his goofy grin with her own. "I love you, and I hate being so far away from you-even if it's technically just down the hall. I miss sleeping next to you. I miss cuddling next to you. And I miss..."

"Sex." He interrupted bluntly causing a blush to cover her face.

"That's not what I was going to say." She retorted embarrassed.

"Maybe not. But you were definitely thinking about it." He goaded.

"I was not." She argued.

"Whatever you say, Hales." He smirked at her. She playfully rolled her eyes before turning to look away from him. "You shouldn't be so embarrassed. I think about having sex with you all of the time. Ever since that first time, I have never wanted anything or anyone as much as I want you. Even before that first time. We had all this sexual tension between the two of us, and I was about to explode. Can I tell you something?" He asked.

"Depends. Is it good or bad?" She asked nervously.

"It's good." He reassured as she nodded. "I've wanted you since we both hit puberty. I don't remember when it happened, but one day, you grew boobs and your amazing legs. You always wore these skirts showing them off. And you also wore these low-cut tops. You were so innocent, you didn't even realize what you were doing. You drove me crazy, and you didn't even know it. You drove so many guys crazy. You know how many guys I beat up or threatened because of the sexual things they said about you in high school." He revealed.

"Shut up, Nathan. You didn't even like me in high school." She countered.

"No, I didn't. You didn't like me either. But, Haley, I had eyes. You were a beautiful girl who had definite sex appeal. I may not have liked you, but I still wanted you. I knew it would never happen, though. Our personalities were like polar opposites, and we were family." He said.

"God, don't you dare say that you thought of me as your sister! That kind of creeps me out." She says in disgust.

"Eww. God, no. I never once thought of you like my sister. I just thought of you as like an extended member of my family-you and your parents. I protected you-not because you were like my sister. I protected you because you were turning into a young, beautiful woman. I've known you my entire life. I may not have liked you, but I've always loved you. You've always been one of the most important people in my life. I never would have let anything happen to you. And now, you are the most important person in my life. And I don't just love you. I'm in love with you. And now, all of those fantasies I used to have about you and the things I imagined doing to you, are now a reality. I even have this list of sexual things I want to do to and with you." He admitted.

"You do not!" She exclaimed.

"Oh, yes, I do." He said and chuckled at the look on her face. "I've already checked a lot of things off of that list. But there are plenty more items on that list, believe me." He continued.

"Like what?" She asked quietly and timidly. Nathan couldn't help but smirk at her. He knew she was curious, and he knew she wanted him just as much as he wanted her. He loved that he was the one who took away her virginity and her innocence. He loved that it was because of him that she was coming out of her shell in terms of her sexuality. He loved that she trusted and loved him enough to explore things with him. "Well, the list is at home. I guess you'll have to wait and see, won't you?" He said.

"I guess so." She said as they smirked at one another.

"Hey, I was thinking we could decorate the guest bedroom tomorrow." He said changing the subject.

"Yeah, that sounds like fun." She agreed in excitement.

"Have you given any thoughts to what you want the room to be?" He asked.

"Yes and no. I was thinking like a light blue and brown theme. I saw this adorable display in a magazing, and I fell in love with it immediately. I have the magazing at home." She answered.

"Okay, sounds like a plan to me. We can go get some paint tomorrow and some other decorations and stuff. How's that sound?" He asked.

"Wonderful. But we should probably hold off on the crib, though." She said.

"Why's that?" He asked confused.

"Well, if we get custody of the baby. We'll have to get two cribs. The two boys can share the room. That'll be nice." She stated with a smile.

Nathan watched her as she said this. She was being sincerely honest, and her smile was genuine. Her whole attitude about this situation reminded him of what a truly amazing person she was. She was such a good, kind-hearted woman. He couldn't believe how selfless she was being-especially in terms of her wanting them to seek custody of his baby. He was still trying to wrap his head around that. "I love you." He said.

"I know. I love you, too." She said as the two embraced in a passionate kiss. Their moment was interrupted by the sound of Nathan's cell phone ringing. "You should probably get that." She mumbled against his lips.

"I should, shouldn't I?" He said. He let out a groan causing her to laugh before finally answering his phone. He listened intently as Haley noticed the expression on his face. After a few seconds, he ended the call.

"What's going on, Nathan?" She asked concerned.

"Mitch was just in a car accident." He revealed.

**Okay, there you go. Let me know what you guys think. Again, thank you so much for your guy's awesome reviews. And thank you to those reading but not reviewing. I hope you haven't lost interest in this story. And again, I'm sorry about the long wait. I'm off for two whole days, and I plan on doing nothing but laying in bed relaxing. So, I should be able to get another chapter up. I have also been working on another chapter in Never Forgotten. I have neglected that story, and I'm going to try to get back into it now. Anyway, until next time!**


	34. Chapter 34

Nathan and Haley walked through the halls of the all too familiar hospital. Not wasting any time, they walked straight up to the receptionist office and saw a pretty, young brunette sitting behind the desk. "Hi." Nathan said causing the girl to look up.

"Hi." She greeted with a smile looking directly at him. She ran her eyes up and down his body before settling back on his face. "What can I do for you?" She purred. Haley wanted to gag. What the hell was wrong with this girl? This is a hospital not some sleezy bar. "WE are looking for Mitch Reynolds." Haley piped in just before Nathan could answer. The girl cut her eyes over to Haley in annoyance. However, she quickly looked down to her paperwork when she noticed the fire in Haley's eyes. "Umm, he, umm...he's in room 292." She stammered out looking at Haley while avoiding shifting her eyes anywhere other than her.

"Thank you." Haley replied curtly. She grabbed Nathan's hand and pulled him away with her. They arrived in the room shortly later. Mitch was laying in bed sleeping in a hospital gown. His blanket was securely wrapped around his waist. He had bruises all down his arm and a huge gash covered with gauze on his forehead. "Oh my gosh. He looks terrible." Haley commented.

"Yeah, he does." Nathan agreed. Just then, the door to the room opened as a doctor walked in. "Hi. I'm Doctor Jones. Tina told me the two you were inquiring about Mitch Reynolds. Are you Nathan?" He asked.

"Yes, I am." Nathan greeted shaking the doctor's hand. "This is my wife, Haley." He introduced as she and the doctor shook hands. "Nice to meet you." They both greeted.

"You were listed as his emergency contact person. I'm new to town and didn't know who else to call." Doctor Jones stated.

"Oh, it's okay. Mitch works for us. He doesn't have any family that lives anywhere near here. So, what happened?" Nathan asked.

"Well, we're still trying to figure that out. The breaks went out in his car. The cops are still investigating what happened. I haven't heard the full report yet, but the cops seem to think that his breaks were tampered with. They don't believe it's an accident, but they're still investigating. And I will inform you once I receive any further information." Doctor Jones said as Nathan and Haley nodded in understanding. "Now, in terms of his recovery. He's doing really well. He has a couple broken ribs and some major internal bruising as well as external. He has some cuts and a nice sized gash on his forehead. But he is going to be fine. He just needs to stay in bed and let himself heal. He should be back to normal, I'd say in a couple of months. He was pretty lucky." The doctor finished.

"That's such good news." Haley spoke.

"He's been out for awhile now. I wouldn't be surprised if he woke up soon. Are you guys sticking around for awhile?" He asked.

"Yes. I want to stay until he at least wakes up so I can talk to him." Nathan answered.

"Okay. Well, I've got to check on some of my other patients. Some nurses will be in to check on him every so often. If I find out any further information concerning the accident, I'll be sure to inform you." Doctor Jones stated.

"Thank you, doctor." Nathan said.

"You're welcome. It was nice meeting you. I'll see you both later." The doctor said before leaving the room. Haley turned to Nathan and saw him inching closer towards the hospital bed. She was right behind him. She sidled up to his side and interlaced their hands together while rubbing her her left hand soothingly up and down his arm. "I'm sorry, Nathan. I know you and Mitch were good friends." She said sympathetically.

"It's okay. He's going to be fine. You heard the doctor." Nathan said. The two pulled up a couple of chairs up next to the bed and sat down. "I really hate hospitals. I've lost count of how many times I've been in them in the past five years." He said.

"I know. I'm sorry. I hate them, too." She said.

"Who could have done this? Who would want to do this to Mitch? I don't understand what is wrong with people." He said.

"The world is full of some messed up people. We just have to keep the faith that the police will find the person who did this. But like the doctor said and you said, Mitch is going to be fine. We should just focus on that right now." She said while resting her head on his shoulder. He moved his hand down and planted it between her thigh and knee and gave it a gentle squeeze. "How are you feeling?" He asked turning his head and kissing her softly on the forehead.

"I'm fine." She mumbled.

"You sound tired. Maybe you should go home and get some sleep." He suggested.

"No, I'm fine. I want to stay here with you. It's just been a long day." She said.

"Okay. We'll stay until he wakes up and just a few minutes after that. How does that sound?" He said.

"Sounds good." She said groggily.

Minutes passed and Mitch was still out. Nathan looked over and noticed Haley with her head still resting on his shoulder. Her eyes were closed. "Haley, you still awake?" Nathan whispered.

"Mmm hmm." She mumbled.

"You're such a little liar." He laughed causing her to let out a strangled laugh as well. "It's late. Maybe we should just go home and come back tomorrow." He suggested.

"No, I'm really okay. We should stay here until he wakes up. Actually, I was thinking about something. Have you talked to Mitch or Rachel about why they were together?" She asked.

"No. I haven't thought about it honestly. With everything that's been going on between us, I haven't even seen or talked to either of them for a few days. I'm sorry." He said.

"No, don't be sorry. I'm just so confused as to why they would be together. It doesn't make any sense. Maybe it's nothing. Maybe I'm just looking for anything to use against Rachel. My mind just goes into overdrive whenever I talk about or see Rachel." She said.

"Well, you have your reasons for doing so. We'll talk to Mitch about it when he wakes up. If it's nothing, we move on. We have nothing to worry about. If it's something, we'll...I don't know what we'll do. We'll just have to wait and see what he has to say. But right now, you don't need to worry about it. You shouldn't stress yourself out over this. It's not good for you or the baby." He said.

"You're right." She said. They sat in silence for a couple more seconds before they noticed Mitch beginning to stir around slightly in the bed. Nathan moved forward. Mitch opened his eyes and glanced around confused before making eye contact with Nathan. "Nathan?" He called out groggily.

"Hey, Mitch. How are you feeling?" Nathan asked.

"Like I got smashed by a car." Mitch semi-joked.

"Well, you did, kind of." Nathan said as they both let out small laughs. "Do you remember what happened?" He asked.

"I was driving, and I tried to break for an upcoming turn and nothing happened. I began to panic as I pushed on the breaks even harder. I tried to avoid the cement wall by swiftly turning. That's the last I remember. I'm assuming that's when I passed out and woke up here." Mitch answered.

"Well, the police are investigating and trying to figure out what happened. Hopefully, we'll have some answers soon." Nathan said.

"Hey, Haley." Mitch greeted noticing her sitting in the chair next to Nathan.

"Hey, Mitch. How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Oh, not good, but okay." He answered. "What about you? You look kind of tired." He commented.

"I'm fine." She said.

"Well, I appreciate you guys coming. But, Nathan, I think you should take your wife home and get her into bed." Mitch said.

"I actually agree with you on that one." Nathan responded.

"Guys, I'm fine." Haley laughed.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's go." Nathan said standing up and pulling her along with him. "I'll be by tomorrow." He directed towards Mitch.

"Alright. Thanks for coming by you guys. Haley, you go home and get some sleep." Mitch said.

"Haha. Bye, Mitch." Haley said.

"See you later, man." Nathan said as he and Haley walking out of the hospital room.

Nathan and Haley arrived home about fifteen minutes later. They were both exhaursted and headed straight up the stairs to get into bed. Haley headed towards her bedroom but stopped at the door realizing Nathan had stopped following her. She turned around and saw him heading into the guest bedroom. "What are you doing?" She asked causing him to stop abruptly.

"What do you mean?" He asked confused.

"Why are you going in there?" She asked.

"I just thought that..." He began.

"We talked about this ealier today. I thought you were going to move back into the master bedroom with me." She stated.

"Yeah, I just didn't know if you meant tonight." He said.

"I did. Come on, let's go to bed." She said stretching her hand out in front of her. Nathan smiled at her before inching his way towards her. They walked into the bedroom, quickly changed in some pajamas, and climbed into the bed. Haley layed on her side as Nathan snuggled into her from behind. He wrapped his arm protectively around her as they both quickly fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

The next morning, Haley woke up to the sunlight beaming into the room. She stretched her bod slightly before rolling over onto her back and noticed Nathan sleeping soundly. He was shirtless with his back flat on the bed. She turned so she was resting on her right side and scooted closer to him. She layed there for a few minutes doing nothing but observing his sleeping form. She leaned forward slightly and placed a soft kiss on his bare chest. She felt him stirr slightly. She began planting more forceful kisses along his chest dragging them upward until reaching his neck. She found his pulse point, ran her tongue along the skin, and began vehemently sucking on the spot. She smiled against his skin when she heard a moan escape from his mouth. She repeated the same action a couple more times before feeling his hand run through her hair. He latched onto her neck and gently pulled her upward capturing her lips to his in a sizzling kiss. He reached down and found the hem of her tank top and quickly discarded it from her body.

He flipped them over so she was laying flat on her back with him hovering over her. Their kisses intensified as his hands roamed up and down the length of her body. He moved his right hand up and forcefully grabbed her breast. "Ouch." He heard the word fall from her mouth and the hitch in her breath and immediately pulled back in concern. "Are you okay? I'm so sorry. I didn't..."

"No, you're fine. You didn't do anything wrong. My breasts are just a little sore right now." She reassured with a slight blush to her face as they shared a small smile. "Maybe you could just stay away from them." She said.

"I'll work on that." He smirked down at her before resuming their kiss. He tore his lips from hers and descended them down to her neck where he lavished her. He moved slower down her body. He was careful as he moved passed her breasts. Not being able to resist them completely, he leaned forwards and placed soft kisses on each one before attaching his lips to her flesh right underneath. He placed hot, open-mouthed kisses along her skin.

Haley was losing all of her self-control second by second. She could hardly control her breathing as she felt the soft, wet feel of his tongue all over her body. Nobody has ever made her feel the way Nathan could. He made her feel alive. He made her feel every sensation imaginable. She felt them soaring through her body. She raked her fingers through his hair. She felt vibrations against her skin as he let out a moan.

Nathan felt her fingers running through his hair and moaned at the feelings. He pulled back slightly and hooked his fingers into the sides of her panties before pulling them down her legs. He quickly moved back down and kissed her hard. She gripped his face within her hands as their tongues battled one another. She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist settling her feet right at his tailbone. Not even a second later, she unclipped her feet and bent her legs further up. She found the hem of his boxers and pushed them down his body with her feet. He kicked the boxers away from him. He took hoold of his hard erection and placed it right outside of her entrance. He looked down to her as they shared a smile which was full of lust and desire. He gently pushed the tip of his cock inside of her before stopping himself from going any further. He smirked as she let out a quiet whimper.

"God, Nathan, are you trying to kill me?" She breathed out.

"That is my evil plan." He declared laughing. "What's wrong, baby?" She asked enjoying watching her squirm underneath him.

"Please, Nathan. I want you. I need you. Please." She pleaded as she leaned forward and attached her lips to his neck. She forcefully attacked the exposed skin. Nathan snapped his eyes shut. He felt himself grow increasingly harder. As much as he wanted to play around with Haley a bit longer, his own body and desire for her overpowered. Without a second thought, he pushed himself the rest of the way inside of her sighing at the feeling of finally having them joined. He knew Haley was relieved herself as she let out a loud moan. He continued moving in and out of her at a slow, leisurely pace. "Are you okay? Are you comfortable?" He asked making sure she was okay.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just go faster." She commanded huskily.

"As you wish." He smirked uping the pace of his thrusts to which Haley immediately responded. She gripped his shoulder while digging her nails hard into his skin. "How's that?" He asked.

"That...oh, god, that's good." She moaned. "Nathan." His name fell from her lips a second later.

"Yeah." He groaned.

"Kiss me." She demanded. He was only too happy to oblige and assulted her lips in a tantalizing manner. Minutes passed as their moans grew louder and their breathing became more rapid. Their bodies, slick with sweat, began to convulse as their orgasms hit hard. They screamed out each other's names as they came down off of their high. Nathan placed his wet forehead against her shoulder trying to catch his breath. He felt Haley's fingers running through his damp hair. He placed a shaky kiss on her shoulder before rolling onto his back. He intertwined their hands together as they layed side by side next to each other. Haley stretched down and pulled the blanket up and around her body. The two layed there in complete silence until Nathan heard her breathing even out. He turned his head and saw she had fallen asleep. He smiled as he watched her. He leaned over and kissed her softly on her cheek careful not to wake her up before climbing out of the bed. He threw on his boxers and some sweatpants before heading out of the bedroom and down the stairs.

He went straight to the front door and walked outside. He grabbed the newspaper that was sitting on the doorstep before turning back inside. He walked into the kitched and pulled out some cereal, milk, a bowl, and a spoon. He thought about making some breakfast for Haley but decided against it. He wanted her to get some rest. He knew she had to be exhausted. He smirked at that thought before chuckling and pouring the milk and cereal into a bowl. He sat down, opened up the newspaper, and began reading and eating.

* * *

"Time to wake." He whispered against Haley's ear. She shivered and snuggled further under the covers. "Wake up, Hales." He said again.

"No." She mumbled tiredly.

"Wake up." He repeated.

"Go away, Nathan." She grumbled. Nathan laughed at her stubbornness. He grabbed hold of the covers and gently eased them off her body slightly. She groaned as the cold air hit her naked form. "Nathan." She whined.

"Haley." He mock-whined.

"Why do I have to get up?" She countered.

"Because I said so. Get up, take a shower, and let's go over to the cafe for some lunch." He said.

"Is is really lunchtime?" She asked with her eyes still closed.

"Yes, it is. It's close to two o'clock actually." He answered.

"I hate you." She declared finally opening her eyes to look at him.

"And I love you." He chuckled. "Now, go take a shower. I know you're hungry." He said.

"I am kind of hungry." She agreed and moved to sit up with help from Nathan. He handed her a robe as she placed it on her body before climbing out of the bed. He smacked her playfully on her ass. "Hey." She laughed turning to him slightly. He held up his hands in defense. She shook her head at him before disappearing into the bathroom shutting the door behind her. He laughed as he made his way back down the stairs.

Ten minutes later, Nathan had just finished cleaning up around the house when he heard the doorbell ring. He wondered briefly who that could be before realizing it was probably his mom. He walked to the front door and swung the door open. His happy face turned quickly to one of a scowl as he saw who was on the other side. "What are you doing here, Rachel?" He asked exasperated. She didn't answer him right away. He watched as her eyes were glued to his chest as she licked her lips. "Well, it looks like I'm just in time." She smirked up at him finally looking at his eyes. He quivered and sent her a disgusted look. He looked around and spotted a sweatshirt hanging in the open closet in the foyer. He grabbed it and quickly threw it onto his body. "What are you doing here?" He asked again feeling better now that he was covered up.

"Well, you've been ignoring all of my calls. I've missed you. The baby misses you." She said rubbing her slightly protruded stomach for effect. His eyes traveled down to her stomach and stared at it for a moment. Rachel smiled as she watched his face. He was starting to get attached to the baby. She knew it was just a matter of time before he began to get attached to her once again. They had a past together, and she knew he would fall in love with her all over again once she placed this baby into his arms. It was just what she needed to get what she wanted.

Nathan eyed her stomach and for the first time, he actually allowed himself to feel something for the baby. Knowing that Haley was there for him and going to support him, he felt better. And after her words the previous day about wanting to seek full custody, he realized that he could have it all. He could have Haley and their two children, and he could have this child. As much as he hated the situation, he was starting to accept it. And he knew he owed it all to Haley. His eyes traveled back up to Rachel's eyes. He had to fight back the laugh that was threatening to fall from his lips. He knew what she was thinking, and she was dead wrong. "So, what do you want, Rachel?" He asked. He rolled his eyes as she pushed passed him lightly and made her way further into the house. "Sure, come on in." He bit out sarcastically while shutting the door before following her. She stopped right at the foot of the stairs and turned to face him. "Well, I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon-at two forty-five, actually. I was hoping you would like to come with me." She said.

"I, umm, I..." Nathan stammered out. On one hand, he did want to go. Not to be there for Rachel, but to be there for his baby. But on the other hand, he didn't want to upset Haley. How would she feel if he announced he was going to go to a doctor's appointment with Rachel? And even if she was completely okay with it, he would want her there with him. He couldn't do this without her. But he didn't think it would be fair to ask her to do such a thing. She may be accepting the situation now. And she may be supporting him and standing by him now. But asking her to come and see physical and medical evidence of his infidelity is ridiculous. He wasn't about to inflict that kind of pain onto her. "Rachel, I don't..."

"He'll be there." A voice sounded causing them both to turn their heads in the direction of the stairs. Haley was standing about four steps away from them. She walked further down the steps and Nathan reached out his hand to her to help her off of the final step. Rachel rolled her eyes at the sight and about threw up right then and there. "He'll be there." Haley repeated as Rachel let a huge smile envade her face.

"Haley, are you..." Nathan began but was interrupted.

"Nathan, it's okay. It's your baby. You should be there." Haley reassured before turning her attention back to Rachel. "You said two forty-five, right?" She asked the red-head.

"Yeah. Two forty-five. Thanks, Haley." Rachel said ecstatic but shocked a little at the same time.

"Okay. Well, I guess we'll see you then." Haley said and inwardly smirked at the confusion that played across Rachel's face.

"I'm sorry, what?" Rachel asked. Nathan turned his attention towards his wife confused as well.

"Well, WE-Nathan and I-will see you at two forty-five." Haley said.

"You don't actually think you're going to come to MY doctor's appointment, do you?" Rachel scoffed.

"Oh, I don't think, I know. You see, Rachel, you may be having Nathan's baby, but he's still my husband. We're still together despite what you think. We have a family already. Us, Lexie, and our unborn son are still a family. And this..." Haley began pointing to Rachel's stomach. "...is not going to tear it apart. It's a minor setback, but that's all." She finished looking into Rachel's shocked eyes.

"You are not coming to my doctor's appointment." Rachel declared again angrily.

"Do you want Nathan there?" Haley asked. Rachel looked briefly at Nathan and couldn't read the expression on his face before turning back to Haley and nodded her head. "Okay, then, here's the deal. If Nathan goes, I go. Or he doesn't go at all. Which do you prefer?" Haley asked.

"Nathan, don't you have anything to say about this?" Rachel implored.

"You heard my wife." He finally voiced. Rachel dropped her mouth open in shock as Haley tried to contain the smirk that was threatening to fall on her lips.

"Fine." Rachel relented angrily.

"Okay, then. Well, it's about two fifteen. You better go. Nathan and I have to finish getting dressed." Haley said as she and Nathan escorted Rachel towards the door. "We'll see you in a little bit." Haley said as Rachel walked outside. Rachel turned around and glared at Haley. "Goodbye, Rachel." Haley said as Rachel turned away in a huff while Haley slammed the door shut. She started laughing before turning around to collide with Nathan. "What?" She asked looking up to him innocently.

"I love you, you know that." He said before capturing her lips in a sensual kiss. "Are you sure about this, Haley?" He asked once they broke apart. "I don't want you to do anything you're uncomfortable with. I don't want to put you in that kind of position." He said.

"You're not. I want to go. Yes, it's uncomfortable, and I don't know how I'll feel when we actually get there. But I'm going. I want to do this and be there for you for this. And I know you want to be there, too." She said.

"Not because of Rachel." He added quickly.

"I know, Nathan." She chuckled softly. "I know it's just about the baby. So, go get dressed. I'm going to grab something to eat since we won't be going to the cafe anytime soon." She continued.

"I'm sorry. You must be starving." He laughed.

"I am. I'll just have a quick snack, and we can head over to the cafe after the appointment, okay." She suggested as he quickly agreed. He rushed upstairs to get dressed.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Nathan, Haley, and Rachel all found themselves sitting in a hospital room waiting for the doctor to come in. To say it was awkward would be an understatement. You could cut the tension in that room with a knife. It was quiet with neither one of them speaking a word. Nathan was sitting on a chair with Haley planted firmly in his lap while Rachel was sitting on the bed. Rachel kept her eyes focused on a poster hanging on the wall. She was doing everything to avoid the death glares Haley kept sending her way. She had to admit to herself that she was kind of frightened of Haley at the moment. She never realized how much fight the girl had in her. Even before when Haley called the cops on her, she wasn't like this. All Rachel wanted in this moment was for Nathan to comfort her.

Nathan felt like he was stuck in some soap opera. Here he was, his six month pregnant wife sitting in his lap while his seven month pregnant ex-girlfriend was sitting off to the side. How did he get himself into this position? He wanted to crawl under a rock right now and die. He hated being here. He subconsciously wrapped his arms around Haley tighter pressing her further into him for comfort.

Haley was still trying to decide if coming here was the right choice or not. Her mind was going into overdrive. She kept going back and forth on whether or not she should just grab her purse and rush out the door. She wanted to be supportive of Nathan, but she hated being here with Rachel. She couldn't help it. Everytime she saw the girl, she was reminded of her husband's cheating. She believed him when he said he doesn't remember what happened and would never intentionally cheat on her. But all of that doesn't erase the fact that he did or else they wouldn't be here right now. She couldn't help but throw daggers at Rachel everytime she looked her way. In fact, she has been doing nothing but staring the girl down since they got settled in the room. She hated to admit it, but making Rachel uncomfortable was actually comforting her right now. And feeling Nathan's arms tighten around her, comforted her as well.

They all breathed a sigh of relief once the door clicked open and Dr. Bryan came walking in. He wasn't sure if he read his chart right when it was handed to him. He saw the three names that were written on the chart and grew completely and utterly confused. At first, he thought he was imagining the third name, but then realized he doesn't have an appointment set up with Haley until the end of this month. He thought for sure someone had just made a mistake and written down the wrong names. He looked up from his chart and sure enough, there sat Nathan, Haley, and some red-head he's never met. "Hello, Nathan and Haley." He greeted and knew that the sound of his voice indicated his confusion.

"Hi, Doctor Bryan." Haley greeted warmly. Nathan just nodded feeling completely ashamed in that moment.

"Hi, you must be Rachel Gatina?" Dr. Bryan asked turning his attention to the girl sitting on the bed. She said nothing but nodded her head. "Okay, well, I'm Dr. Bryan, it's nice to meet you. I have your chart here which was faxed over from Presbyterian Healthcare in Charlotte, North Carolina. Your last checkup went smoothly, and you seem to be progressing very nicely. So, how about we just get started?" He suggested as the three of them nodded. "Is the father going to be joining us today?" He asked somewhat hesitantly.

"That would be me." Nathan finally spoke up as Haley stood up from his lap allowing Nathan to stand up from the chair. Dr. Bryan looked momentarily shocked. He shifted his eyes back and forth from Nathan to Rachel then back to Nathan before finally settling his eyes on Haley who was standing next to Nathan. He felt complete sympathy for her when he noticed the small tears in her eyes. He watched as she tried to discreetly brush them away. He watched as Nathan reached out and enclosed her hand within his. Dr. Bryan snapped out of his trance and tried to refocus his attention to Rachel. "Okay, I'm just going to take your blood pressure and all that fun stuff." He said.

After a few minutes, he announed that everything seemed to be okay and normal. "Okay, go ahead and lie back. We'll just do an ultrasound and make sure everything appears normal from that end, too." He said as Rachel nodded and leaned back against the bed. Nathan and Haley moved closer to the bed so they could see the screen better. Seconds later, the baby appeared on the screen. Haley sucked in a breath feeling herself losing control. She could feel the tears that were threatening to fall. It was then that she felt Nathan squeeze her hand. She smiled knowing he knew what she was feeling and was trying his best to comfort her. She took a deep breath and felt her uneasiness slowly seep out of her body. She gave him a gentle squeeze letting him know she was okay as well as silently thanking him. Doctor Bryan ran through some things and showed them some things before ending the ultrasound. He was uncomfortable enough himself and couldn't imagine how the three of them must be feeling. He wanted to end this appointment as quickly and painlessly as he could. "So, do you have any questions for me? Any of you?" He asked. They all shook their heads as he breathed a silent sigh of relief.

"Dr. Bryan." Nathan spoke up.

"Yes?" He answered.

"Given the situation, we would really appreciate if you kept this between us for now. We don't exactly want the whole world knowing about what's going on." Nathan said gently.

"I understand. Patient confidentiality is extremely important to me. I would never betray any of your trust that way. You have my word." Dr. Bryan responded.

"Thank you." Nathan said quietly in appreciation.

"So, Rachel, how are you feeling?" The doctor asked.

"Extremely awkward at the moment." She stated.

"You should have thought about that before you slept with my husband." Haley bit out speaking for the first time since the doctor walked into the room. Haley didn't mean to say that. She honestly didn't, but she couldn't stop the words from pouring out of her mouth. Rachel cut her eyes towards her as Nathan planted his eyes firmly to the ground. It was then that Dr. Bryan let out a strangled laugh. Rachel looked abruptly towards him with venom in her eyes. "Sorry." He choked out. "I had something in my throat." He lied lamely. "Anyway, you are all set. Go ahead and go out to the front desk and schedule another appointment for next month." He recovered.

"Okay. Thanks." Rachel shot out somewhat snottily before jumping off of the bed and heading towards the door with Nathan and Haley following behind. "Haley, could I talk to you for a moment?" Dr. Bryan asked causing Nathan and Haley to stop and turn back around.

"Yeah, of course." Haley answered. She looked to Nathan who looked unsure as to whether to leave or not.

"I'll just be a minute. I promise." Dr. Bryan announced.

"I'll be right out." Haley said urging Nathan to go ahead and go. He looked at her one final time before walking out of the room. Haley turned back around. "What's up?" She asked.

"How are you holding up?" Dr. Bryan asked.

"Why? What are you, my shrink now?" Haley tried to joke.

"No." He laughed. "But you are my patient. I don't know the specifics of what's going on nor do I want to. I just want to make sure you're taking care of yourself. I don't want you to be getting yourself all worked up like the last time. I don't want you to stress yourself out. And I don't want you putting yourself in any kind of position that could cause harm to you or the baby, okay?" He said.

"I know. I'm not. Thank you, Doctor Bryan." Haley said. He gave her a quick hug before escorting her out to the front desk where Nathan was waiting. He smiled sweetly at her and gave Nathan a slight nod before walking once again in the opposite direction.

"Are you okay?" Nathan asked once Haley reached him.

"Yeah, he just wanted to make sure I was taking care of myself." She informed him as he nodded in understanding. "So, where's Rachel?" She asked.

"She left. She wanted to stick around, but I told her she should leave." He said.

"Good. Well, I'm starving. Let's go to the cafe, okay." She suggested.

"Sounds good to me. Let's go." He agreed ushering her out of the hospital to his SUV.

* * *

Nathan and Haley were cuddled together on the couch in the family room discussing his baby with Rachel as well as their own baby. Nathan was planning on visiting Mitch in the hospital in a couple hours, and right now, just wanted to spend some alone time with his wife. He was worried things might become strained once again after the doctor's appointment. He knew it was hard on Haley, and he knew she was trying to be brave and brush it off. But that's what he was afraid of. He was afraid she would bottle it up and then begin distancing herself from Nathan once again. However, once they returned home and settled onto the couch, they talked everything out. They explained what they were feeling and once again vowed to stick by one another through it all.

"Nathan! Haley!" Deb's voice called walking into the family room with Lexie holding her hand walking next to her. She spotted when she noticed the two cuddled on the couch. "Mommy! Daddy!" Lexie exclaimed rushing over to them. Nathan bent down and swooped the little girl into his arms. "Hey, sweetie. Did you have fun with Grandma?" He asked as Haley moved closer into his side so she could give her daughter a kiss.

"Yeah!" Lexie exclaimed excitedly. Nathan and Haley found themselves loving this stage of Lexie's life. She was beginning to talk more and more. She still only knew the basics like 'yeah' or 'yes' or 'no' and was starting to learn everyone's names. But she was beginning to comprehend new words day by day and couldn't wait for her to learn even more.

"Was she okay?" Nathan asked his mom.

"She was wonderful. A perfect little angel." Deb answered.

"Well, of course. She is my daughter afterall." Haley joked as they all laughed. Deb took a seat on the chair next to the couch and simply watched the touching scene in front of her. Before long, Nathan, Haley, and Deb found themselves in a nice discussion about a vacation their two families took together once when Nathan and Haley were much younger. Several minutes passed by and they noticed Lexie had fallen asleep. "I'll go put her to bed. I have to get ready to go anyway." Nathan said standing up.

"Where are you going?" Deb inquired curiously.

"Oh, Mitch, one of our accountants..."

"Yes, I know Mitch." Deb interrupted somewhat heatedly causing both Nathan and Haley to look at her with the same look of confusion displayed across their faces.

"Okay, well, he was in a car accident last night. I'm going to go check on him at the hospital." Nathan continued brushing his mom's comment aside.

"Nathan, there's actually something that I need to discuss with the two of you before you go." Deb announced.

"What's going on, mom?" Nathan asked.

"Maybe you should take Lexie upstairs first." She suggested.

"Okay, I'll be right back." Nathan said carefully carrying Lexie up the stairs. A few minutes later, he came back down the stairs and found his mom and Haley still sitting in the family room in their same spots. Haley looked confused as his mom looked nervous. "So, what's going on?" He asked sitting next to Haley.

"I have something to tell you and show you. Now, before you get mad, I just want you to know that we did this to help you guys." Deb began.

"Mad about what? And who's we?" Nathan asked nervously.

"Brooke and me. We both thought something was off with the night Rachel got pregnant, and..."

"God, mom, what did you guys do?" Nathan groaned. He felt Haley stiffen up beside him and inwardly cursed his mother.

"No, listen to me, Nathan. I know you guys don't want to hear this. And I don't know what's going on between the two of you right now either. I don't know whether or not your are together. And I don't want to cause an even bigger strain on your marriage right now, but this is one thing you guys are going to want to hear and watch. It's important, and we wouldn't have got involved if we didn't truly feel that something was wrong." Deb said.

"Okay. What is it?" Haley asked calm and collected but nervous as hell at the same time.

"Nathan, you weren't lying about being drunk that night. Haley, he really did only have two beers that night." Deb confirmed.

"How do you know that, mom?" Nathan asked.

"Come with me into the living room. I think it's better if I just let you guys see this for yourselves." Deb said standing up and walking out of the family room down the hall to the living room. Nathan and Haley were quick to follow. They took a seat on the couch as Deb inserted a dvd into dvd player while flicking the television on before turning back to her son and daughter-in-law. "Okay, this is the security surveilance from those days you were in Charlotte. I had the footage of just you condensed down to this dvd."

"I don't want to see this again." Haley cried.

"No, Haley, this doesn't show what happened inside the hotel room. This only shows the footage outside of the rooms. I wouldn't do that to you, sweetie." Deb jumped in quickly. Before saying anything more, she pushed play and took a seat on the loveseat next to the couch.

Minutes went by as all of the different footage of Nathan played on the screen. Nobody spoke a word as they watched in complete shock. Deb watched Nathan and Haley and the many emotions that flickered across their faces. She hated showing this to them, but she wanted the truth to finally come out. She wanted to prove once and for all what a lying bitch Rachel was. The screen went blank as Nathan and Haley continued staring at the television neither muttering a word.

"Are you guys okay?" Deb asked cautiously.

"I, umm, I..." Haley stammered out still in complete shock.

"I have to go talk to Mitch." Nathan declared standing up abruptly.

"Nathan, wait." Haley said standing up as well. "Deb, could you stay here and watch Lexie for awhile?" She asked.

"What do you think you're doing?" Nathan asked turning around to face her.

"I'm coming with you." She declared.

"No, you're not." He countered.

"Yes, I am." She argued.

"Haley, please!" He yelled causing her to jump back slightly. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell. It's just, you can't come, Haley. You don't need to get yourself all worked up." He said in a calmer tone.

"I'm already worked up, Nathan. I want to go with you." She said.

"Haley, please. Just stay here. I need to go get some answers from Mitch, and I don't want to worry about you at the same time. Please." He pleaded.

"Okay." She relented quietly.

"Thank you. Mom, would you stay here until I get back?" He asked.

"Nathan, I don't need a babysitter." Haley shot out.

"Mom?" Nathan said dismissing Haley's protest.

"Of course, honey." Deb answered quickly.

"Thanks. I'll be back." Nathan said kissing Haley quickly on the cheek before rushing out the door. Haley watched him walk out the door. She didn't stop staring in the direction of the front door until she heard Nathan's SUV peeling out of the driveway. She inched her way back to the couch and slowly sat down on the cushion and stared in the direction of the television. Deb moved herself over to the couch sitting next to Haley. She reached out and grabbed Haley's hand. "Are you okay, sweetie?" She asked.

"I'm fine." Haley answered quietly. "I'm going to go check on Lexie." She said standing up and walking out of the room leaving Deb sitting there alone on the couch.

**Okay, there you guys go. It's a longer chapter, but I started writing and couldn't stop. I was actually going to add the Nathan/Mitch confrontation in this chapter, but decided to wait until the next which should be within a couple of days. So, anyway, let me know what you guys think. And until the next time!**


	35. Chapter 35

Nathan flew through the halls of the hospital desperately seeking answers. He was feelings so many emotions pass through his body. He was angry. He was confused. He was nervous. He was feeling so many things, and it was hard to keep all of the different emotions in tact. He kept telling himself that this was all some big misunderstanding. He just had to talk to Mitch, and everything would be okay once he told him the truth. He picked up his pace as that thought entered into his mind. "God, how big is this hospital?" Nathan complained out loud not being able to get to Mitch's room fast enough. It was on his third turn that he finally saw the room from a distance.

Nathan stepped in front of the closed door and could see Mitch sleeping through the window engraved in the wood. At the sight of his face, Nathan felt all of his anger swelling up inside of him as thoughts of the video surveillance entered his mind once again. He pushed the door open and was relieved when he realized there was nobody else in the room. He shut the door behind him. He walked further into the room and stared down at his sleeping friend. There's gotta be some kind of mistake. There's no way Mitch would do something like this to him. He watched as Mitch began to stirr slightly. His eyes blinked open adjusting to the light. He took a couple seconds before turning as his eyes landed on the figure standing a few feet from the bed in his room. "Nathan? Hey, man. How's it going?" Mitch asked noticing it was his boss.

"Fine. How are you feeling?" Nathan asked tightly.

"Tire and sore." Mitch answered letting out a small laugh. "Well, pull up a chair." He said.

"I'm fine where I am." Nathan said with a slight edge.

"Is everything okay, man?" Mitch asked catching his tone.

"I'm not sure. I saw something really interesting today." Nathan said.

"What's going on, Nathan?" Mitch asked nervously unsettled by his tone.

"Do you remember that night we were in Charlotte for those meetings?" Nathan asked.

"Yeah, what about it?" Mitch asked hesitantly.

"Nothing, really. I was just thinking about how I woke up with such a splitting headache." Nathan began and watched Mitch's reactions closely. "It was almost like I had a hangover which is ridiculous considering I only had two beers that night." Nathan continued and noticed Mitch's face pale. "Well, you remember, right?" Nathan asked.

"You know, I, umm, I don't really remember that night too much." Mitch dismissed.

"You know what I think. I think someone slipped something into my beer when I went to the bathroom." Nathan revealed.

"Really. That's strange. I didn't notice anything." Mitch mumbled.

"Yeah, I'm just glad I was with you and Landon. I mean, who knows what could have happened that night if I had been alone. I know you guys wouldn't have let anything happen. I trust you guys." Nathan said. Mitch didn't say anything. He abruptly turned his head the other direction. Silence crept into the room and Nathan noticed Mitch looking anywhere but at him. "Why'd you do it, Mitch?" Nathan asked angrily not being able to stop himself anymore.

"Do what?" Mitch asked.

"I know you did it. I saw the video surveillance from that night. I saw you putting something in my drink." Nathan revealed. Mitch stared at Nathan without muttering a word. "Why'd you do it?" Nathan asked in a calmer tone.

"I'm sorry, Nathan. I didn't want to. You have to believe me. I never wanted to do that to you." Mitch answered with a voice full of desperation.

"Then, why did you? Do you realize what you did? You messed with my marriage. I cheated on my wife because of you. I betrayed her trust, and our marriage was almost destroyed because of this. You broke my wife's heart!" Nathan said feeling his anger rise up all over again.

"I'm sorry. It wasn't supposed to go this far. It wasn't supposed to be this way." Mitch said.

"Just tell me why the hell you would even think of doing something like this." Nathan said desperate for an answer.

"About nine months ago, I was in bad shape. I owed a lot of people some money. I was just starting out at this job. I had only been there for about a year. The pay is incredible, but it wasn't enough to pay back the people I owed at that time. So, I took some money from the company. It was such a small amount that I knew nobody would even notice it missing. I figured I could pay back those people, and replace the money gradually as I earn it. And I have, every penny that I took has been replaced. I'm sorry, Nathan. I never meant for it to get this far. I never meant to hurt anyone." Mitch explained.

"How did that turn into this?" Nathan asked still tying to process everything.

"Rachel kind of blackmailed me." Mitch said.

"What?" Nathan asked.

"I went to a bar one night and got totally wasted. I don't even really remember it. But I ran into Rachel, and apparently, I told her everything. And because Rachel's the way she is, she threatened to tell you everything. I'm so sorry, Nathan. I didn't expect all of this to happen. I tried to stop it, but I couldn't." Mitch said.

"No, you could have stopped it. You could have just come to me in the beginning with whatever problems you were having. I would have understood. But this, I don't understand. Messing with me is one thing, but you messed with my family. You about broke my wife. What do you want me to say? That it's okay. It's not." Nathan said as he began to pace the floor in the hospital room.

"Nathan, I'm so sorry." Mitch called out. He jumped slightly when Nathan angrily punched the wall. The hit was so hard that it broke through the dry wall. "Damn it!" Nathan exclaimed and winced slightly pulling his hand back to him. There was blood covering his shakey hand. Before either one of them could say anything more, the door opened as Doctor Jones came rushing in. "What the hell is going on?" He asked abruptly taking in the sight. Neither Nathan nor Mitch said voiced a word. "Somebody had better start talking before I call security." He warned.

"That won't be necessary. Everything's fine." Mitch spoke up.

"Fine? You are seriously going to sit there and say everything is fine. I'm not sure the wall will agree with you." Dr. Jones bit out sarcastically. He looked to Nathan for some type of explanation, but he said nothing. He was still facing the wall while holding onto his hand. "Nathan, I'm going to need you to come with me." He said. Nathan didn't say anything. He just nodded a small nod and headed towards the door. Dr. Jones told him to wait right outside the door for him. Nathan walked out of the room closing the door behind him. Dr. Jones turned around to face Mitch. "You get some rest. I'll be back in here just as soon as I take care of Nathan."

"Dr. Jones, I know this looks bad. But please don't call security. I will be happy to pay for any of the damages." Mitch said.

"Well, I think Nathan should be the one to do that." Dr. Jones countered.

"No, it wasn't his fault. It was mine. Please, just let me take care of everything." Mitch pleaded. The doctor didn't say anything in response. He nodded his head in agreement before exiting the room.

A couple minutes later, Dr. Jones and Nathan were in a different room. Dr. Jones was stitching and bandaging up Nathan's injured hand. Nathan didn't mutter a single word. He was still trying to process everything Mitch had told him. He could not believe this was happening.

"So, do you want to tell me what happened?" Dr. Jones asked. Nathan said nothing. "Listen, Nathan, I don't know you. I don't know Mitch. Whatever issues the two of you have going on are of no concern to me. But this hospital is a concern to me. I will not drag security into this, and I will not be pressing charges. But I will have to ask you to leave for the time being. You will not be allowed to visit Mitch at any time for the duration of his stay here. I cannot have any more issues. Deal with your personal issues when Mitch is released and out of this hospital. Do you understand me?" He asked. Again, Nathan said nothing. He just nodded his head in understanding. After a couple more minutes, Nathan was all stitched up and wrapped up. "Okay, you're all set. We're going to need to get your insurance information. Go ahead and go to the front desk. I'll call and let them know you're coming. They'll have the papers ready for you to fill out." Dr. Jones said. He patted Nathan on the shoulder before walking out of the room. Nathan sat there for a couple seconds before standing up and walking out.

* * *

Nathan walked through the front door of his house. It was dark and quiet. There was a faint light coming from the living room, and he made his way over to the room. He walked in and saw his mom sitting on the couch. "Hey, honey. What happened?" Deb asked noticing his hand.

"Nothing. Where's Haley?" He asked.

"She went upstairs to check on Lexie right after you left. She's been up there ever since." She answered.

"Okay. I'm going to..." He began as she nodded her head in understanding.

"I'll just go." She said standing up and grabbing her purse. She headed towards the door when his voice stopped her.

"Thank you, mom. Thanks for telling us." He called out.

"You're welcome." She said before disappearing out of the house. He turned and headed up the stairs. He first went into Lexie's room and saw her soundly sleeping. He smiled slightly before heading towards their bedroom. He walked in and found Haley sitting on the bed. She had changed into a pair of pajama shorts and one of his Duke sweatshirts. She wasn't under the blankets or anything. She was just sitting on top of the bed tracing the patterns on the blanket with her fingers. "Hey." He greeted quietly causing her to look up.

"He-oh my gosh, what happened?" She asked in a panic jumping off of the bed and rushing over to him.

"Nothing. It's nothing." He dismissed.

"Nathan, what happened?" She repeated.

"I'm fine. The wall at the hospital might not be so fine." He said.

"Nathan." She sighed.

"I'm fine, Haley." He reassured as she nodded slightly. Silence clouded the room as neither of them knew what to say. They caught each other's gaze. Nathan was just about to say something when Haley pulled him to her in a heated kiss which lasted for a couple minutes. After breaking apart, Haley rested her forehead against his. "What was that for?" He asked.

"I'm sorry." She said. He heard the quiver in her voice, and he instantly knew she was beginning to cry. He moved to look at her and cupped her cheeks gently. "What are you sorry about?" He asked quietly.

"I'm sorry for what Mitch did. I'm sorry for reacting the way I did. You didn't even do anything wrong, and I treated you so horribly. I'm sorry." She cried as the tears began to flow. He immediately pulled her into his embrace. "I'm so sorry." She sobbed into his chest soaking his shirt with her tears.

"Stop it, Haley. Stop, okay. You have nothing to be sorry for. Nothing. You had every right to react the way you did. It's okay." He said while stroking her hair softly.

"It's not okay. None of this is okay." She said calming down.

"I know." He agreed. He felt her back out of his embrace slightly. He caressed her left cheek with his right hand helping her relax. "I'm sorry. I'm just really emotional right now, and I'm really angry and hurt. I'm confused. I'm just all over the place." She said. Nathan smiled softly at her before leaning down and kissing her chastely on the lips.

"I'm feeling the same way." He said as he lead her to the bed, and they took a seat.

"What happened with Mitch?" She asked.

"Apparently, he 'borrowed' some money from the company to take care of some personal issues, and..."

"What? How did nobody notice money missing? How could he do that?" She interrupted spurting off questions.

"I guess it was such a small amount that it went undetected. He said he replaced every penny." He said.

"Okay, so what was drugging you and helping Rachel all about?" She asked.

"Rachel blackmailed him. He got drunk one night, ran into her, and apparently, blabbed about stealing the money. And she used that against him." He answered.

"Why does that not surprise me? God, what a bitch." She said.

"Yup, pretty much." He agreed.

"What are you going to do about Mitch?" She asked quietly.

"I don't know. It's Mitch. He's a friend. And I...I don't know." He said.

"He did say he paid back everything he took, right?" She said.

"Yeah, he did." He replied.

"And Rachel did sort of blackmail him." She said.

"Yeah." He agreed.

"So, maybe, what he did wasn't so bad." She said half-heartedly.

"Yeah." He said distractedly. An awkward silence drifted into the room. "He hurt you, Hales. He hurt Lexie and Jamie. He hurt us." He spoke quietly.

"That's true. He did. But we beat him, Nathan. We beat Rachel. We came out of this together-stronger. So, maybe, we can give him a chance to come out of this stronger himself." She said.

"And do you want to do the same with Rachel?" He joked but kept a straight face.

"No, because she isn't sorry. She planned this. It was deliberate. I don't think Mitch did this deliberately to hurt us. I think he made a mistake, and he chose the wrong choice and made a bad decision. But I think he's sorry. Do you?" She asked.

"Yes, I do." He answered honestly.

"Maybe you should just try talking to him again-calmly. You were already worked up when you got there. You now know pretty much the basics. Maybe you should take some time to cool off and then talk to him again." She suggested.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea. But I kind of have to wait until he gets released from the hospital." He said.

"Why?" She asked confused. He didn't answer. He just sent a pointed look her way. "Nathan." She sighed.

"What? I'm not banned from the hospital-just his room." He defended himself causing her to let out a small laugh. "That's what I want to hear. My girl laughing and happy." He said.

"I am happy, Nathan. I hate what's going on. I hate it all. But I am so happy with you and Lexie and this baby. I love you, and I love our life." She said.

"I love you and our life, too." He said kissing her sensually.

"Let's lay down." She mumbled against his lips. The two broke apart and moved to lay underneath the covers. Nathan layed flat on his back as Haley cuddled into his side. The two relaxed in a comfortable silence as she drew patterns on his chest over his shirt. She could feel the tension slowly seeping out of his body. "Do you still want to seek full custody?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah, I do-now more than ever. Are you still okay with that?" He questioned.

"Yes, I am. Rachel has no business being a mother. And I want your son to be with you-with us. We're a family, and he belongs with us. Rachel brought this upon herself, so she can deal with the consequences. I can't imagine any judge ruling in her favor after we present that surveillance tape in court. We're gonna make this happen, okay?" She said.

"Thank you, Haley. I love you." He declared kissing her on the forehead.

"You're welcome. I love you, too." She responded.

* * *

"Hey, Micheal. How have you been? I haven't seen you since my mom woke up from her coma." Nathan said as he and their lawyer sat down on the couch in the family room.

"I'm well. Where's Haley at? I thought she was joining us." Micheal responded.

"She is. She's in the bathroom. She practically lives there with this pregnancy." Nathan said as they both laughed.

"Things seem to be going really well between the two of you." Micheal commented.

"Yes, things are really great." Nathan said.

"Sorry, I'm here. I'm here." Haley called walking into the family room. She gave Micheal a warm hug before taking a seat next to Nathan on the couch.

"Okay, well, let's get down to business. What can I do for you two?" Micheal asked. He watched and grew a tad concerned as Nathan and Haley shared a look before Nathan spoke.

"Well, Haley and I are wanting to seek legal custody of a baby-of my baby." Nathan answered.

"I'm confused. What do you mean your baby? Are you talking about yours as in yours and Haley's baby? That doesn't make sense. You two already have custody of that one." Micheal said completely confused.

"No, I mean my baby. An ex-girlfriend of mine is pregnant, and it...it's mine." Nathan revealed completely shocking their lawyer. The room got quiet as Micheal tried to process this bit of information.

"Nathan, this is serious. Do you realize you guys could lose the company? The will indicated very specific provisions. One was no infidelity. The term was five years. You guys are still about five months away from that. I can't just overlook this." Micheal stated.

"I, umm, I..." Nathan began.

"Micheal, Nathan technically didn't cheat on me." Haley interrupted.

"What do you mean?" Micheal asked.

"He was drugged and basically raped. He didn't voluntarily cheat on me, and we have proof of this." She explained.

"Well, that definitely changes the circumstances. How about we just go over everything and figure out what to do from there. Okay, let's discuss the baby. And let's discuss the mother." Micheal said.

"She's a complete psycho. This woman is like the bane of my existance. She has no business raising this baby. What she did to Nathan is proof of that. She's so..."

"Okay, Hales, he gets the point." Nathan interrupted his wife's rant.

"I'm so sorry. I'm just..."

"Hormonal?" Micheal finished jokingly.

"Sure. We'll go with that one." Haley laughed.

"Are you guys sure about this?" Micheal asked.

"Yes, we are sure. We want full custody of this baby." Nathan answered. Micheal looked over to Haley wanting to hear the words straight from her mouth as well.

"We're sure, Micheal." She reassured.

"Okay, we can do this, then. Let's talk. I need any and all information about this girl. Whatever you can tell me would be extremely helpful. Whatever proof you have that might prove her unfitness as a mother would be extremely helpful as well. We need to get anything we can on her. Are you guys prepared to fight?" Micheal asked.

"We are." Nathan answered taking ahold of Haley's hand.

"Well, I can tell you one thing. Without any information on the mother, you two already have a good shot at winning. You are married. You have a child and one on the way. You're sticking together through this. The judge will see this, and it will be positive in his eyes. Now, moving on to the mother. What can you tell me about her?" Micheal asked.

"Her name is Rachel Gatina. We dated a little over a year while I was at Duke. She ended things, but we still remained close friends. I moved back here after graduation, and we kind of lost contact with one another. I saw her for the first time after that while Haley was pregnant with Lexie. She and I started hanging out with one another again. I didn't notice her issues back then. She and Haley have had a couple of run-ins with one another. One time resulted in Haley having her arrested." Nathan began.

"Seriously?" Micheal asked.

"Yes." Haley answered with a laugh. "Sorry, it wasn't funny." She covered clearing her throat.

"What happened with that?" Micheal asked.

"The night I had Lexie, she came by the house. We shared some words, and I warned her I would call the cops is she ever stepped foot on my property again. Well, she came by once awhile after Lexie was born. I asked her to leave, and she refused. She pushed me out of the way and basically, broke into our house. I called the cops, and she was arrested for breaking and entering and assult. That was basically what happened. Is that going to hurt our case?" Haley asked.

"Actually, I think it will look positive for your case. We will have to get the police reports from that day." Micheal stated.

"Would it look bad if I paid her bail, though?" Nathan added.

"Seriously? You paid her bail?" Micheal asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, he did." Haley answered somewhat coldly.

"Why did you pay her bail?" Micheal asked.

"I wanted answers from her. I found out that she was lying about some things that were said between her and Haley. After that day was the first time I tried cutting her out of my life. So, is it going to look bad?" Nathan asked.

"I think it could go either way, actually. That one I'm not sure about honestly. We'll just have to see how far everything goes in court. Is there anything else you could tell me about her that might help your case?" Micheal asked.

"No, I think that's just about everything we are aware of." Nathan answered after he and Haley thought about it for awhile. Micheal didn't say anything for a few minutes. He just reviewed all of his notes.

"You don't think we have a shot, do you?" Haley asked in a quiet tone.

"Actually, I think you two have an excellent shot. You said you have proof that you were drugged-that will probably be the most beneficial evidence for your case. Do you mind if I take it with me and review this tonight?" Micheal asked.

"No, of course not." Nathan answered handing their lawyer the dvd containing the surveillance footage. "Now, you should know that Rachel wasn't the one who physically put the drug in my beer. An employee of mine, Mitch Reynolds, helped her. He added the drug, but they both brought me up to my hotel room. Does that make a difference?" He asked.

"Her lawyer might try to counter our evidence with that, but honestly, if it is clear that she is involved, I don't think it will make a difference." Micheal answered. "Now, have you guys informed Rachel about this yet? Or would you like to wait until she receives the court papers?" He asked.

"We'd like to wait until she receives the papers." Nathan answered.

"Okay, well, I'm going to go. I'll get everything together and have papers sent to Rachel. If you think of anything else, give me a call right away. I'll inform the two of you when we schedule a court date. And we'll schedule a time together again to go over everything." Micheal stated.

"Thank you so much, Micheal." Nathan said as he and Haley walked him to the front door.

"No problem. I'll be in touch with you guys soon. Bye." Micheal said. Nathan and Haley said goodbye as Micheal walked out the door.

"That went well. How are you feeling?" Haley asked as soon as it was just the two of them.

"I feel good. I feel really confident. I think we have a really good shot." Nathan answered.

"Me too. I'm hungry. Let's go get some food." She said pulling him with her towards the kitchen. They got to the kitchen and Haley immediately started rummaging through the freezer. "So, what do you want to eat?" She asked.

"I'm not really that hungry, Hales." He said. He chuckled as he saw her carrying an armful of ice cream complete with all of the fixings. She set it all down on the island before walking over to the cubbard and pulling out a bowl and taking a spoon out of the drawer. He watched as she began filling her bowl with a mountain of ice cream dripping with toppings. He watched as she forced a spoonful into her mouth and closed her eyes letting out a slight moan. "Is that good, Hales?" He laughed.

"It is amazing." She gushed slowly with her eyes still closed. "You want some?" She asked finally opening her eyes.

"No, I think you're enjoying it enough for the both of us." He responded as she let out another moan. "Am I or the ice cream better?" He asked smirking up at her.

"Right now, the ice cream." She answered.

"Is that so?" He asked.

"Yup." She said leaning up into him. "Come on-just try it." She implored shoving the a spoonful of ice cream right in front of his mouth. "Please. It's so good." She pleaded smiling innocently up at him. He couldn't resist that smile and relented taking the spoon into his mouth. "See. Amazing." She said.

"Yes, it's amazing, Hales." He humored her and watched highly entertained as she finished the bowl full of ice cream. She licked her lips one final time while letting out one last moan. "Is it wrong that I'm completely turned on right now?" He asked joking but serious at the same time capturing her full attention as she let out a laugh.

"Aww, does my baby want some attention?" She purred wrapping her arms around his neck and began planting soft kisses along his neck. He shivered at the touch of her cold mouth but was enjoying every minute of it. "Sorry, baby, but my other baby wanted some ice cream." She mumbled against his skin. Nathan groaned feeling the vibrations against his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her tightly against him. "Don't start something you don't intend to finish." He warned with his eyes snapped shut getting lost in the sensations she was creating within him.

"Who says I don't intend to finish." She counters.

"Maybe because Lexie is going to be up any minute from her nap. And it's closing in on twelve o'clock." He said.

"What does the time have to do with anything?" She asked confused but still never breaking her lips from his neck.

"You have been getting sick and throwing up at this time for the past four days." He said. He felt her pull back and look at him with a surprised smile.

"Seriously? You've noticed that?" She questioned.

"I notice everything about you." He said huskily. She smiled before capturing him in a heated kiss. She roughly pushed her tongue into his mouth immediately seeking his. "God, you're so sexy. Why do you have to say things like that? You're making me want you so much." She moaned. "We have to stop." She said finding a tiny bit of self-restraint and pulling away from him.

"You started it." He countered and laughed at the playful glare she threw his way. "So, do you have any plans today?" He asked.

"No, why?" She asked.

"Well, I was thinking. We could start fixing up the guest bedroom. We can go into town and buy some paint and whatever other stuff we need." He suggested.

"Really? I would love that! I can't wait to start decorating that room!" She responded in excitement.

"Okay, then. So, here's the plan. We're going to get Lexie dressed, drive into town, and pick out some paint and stuff. And, then, we'll come home and I'll start painting." He said.

"_You'll_ start painting?" She questioned.

"Well, you and Lexie are certainly not going to be in that room or anywhere near that room with all of those paint fumes. It's not safe for any three of you." He said.

"Fine, but I don't want you to do all of that work yourself. Oh! Oh!" She exclaimed as he jumped back.

"What?" He asked in a panic.

"I have an idea. I'm going to call Lucas, Brooke, Jake, and Peyton to come over. We can order pizza. I'll definitely be hungry by the time they get here. You boys can paint while us girls can stay downstairs watching chick flicks with Lexie and Faith." She suggested.

"Sounds like a plan. Go ahead and call everyone up. I'll go get Lexie up and ready." He said giving her a quick kiss on the forehead before disappearing out of the kitchen as she grabbed the phone.

* * *

"This is so nice-just us girls. We need to do this more often." Brooke said as she, Haley, and Peyton were lounging on the couch in Haley's living room. Lexie and Faith were playing on the carpet.

"I agree." Peyton said.

"Me, too. It's been so hectic with Lexie and the baby. And everything that's going on with Rachel." Haley said saying the last part in a low, annoyed tone.

"How's that going?" Peyton asked.

"Stressful, but hopefully, good. Our lawyer's going to send court papers over to Rachel, and then, we just have to wait for a date to be set." Haley answered.

"How are you doing with all of this? You're an amazing person, Haley, but are you sure you're still okay with all of this?" Brooke asked.

"Honestly, I'm fine. I want this. I want Nathan to have his son, and I want us all to be a family. Rachel is nothing but a conniving bitch who doesn't deserve to be anywhere near that baby. He deserves to grow up feeling completely loved and wanted. Nathan loves him. He wants him. And you know what, so do I." Haley answered sincerely.

"Like I said-you're amazing." Brooke said as the three girls laughed. "So, what about you P. Jagielski? Are you and Jake going to be popping out any kids anytime soon?" She asked. She grew confused as Peyton and Haley shared a solemn look. "What? Did I say something?" She asked concerned.

"No, it's just, I can't have any kids." Peyton answered.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, Peyton. I didn't know. I have this thing where my mouth just blurts out anything and everything without ever stopping to think. I'm so sorry." Brooke said apologetically.

"No, it's okay, Brooke. You didn't know. It's fine. We're trying to adopt. We're on the list, and now, we just have to wait. But it's really okay, Brooke." Peyton answered trying to reassure her distraut friend.

"How long have you guys been waiting?" Brooke asked feeling the guilt slowly pass out of her body.

"About a year. It's a long process, and it may never happen. We're praying that's not the case, but it's okay if it is. We have each other, and that's all we need." Peyton answered.

"Hey, Peyt, it's going to happen. You and Jake were meant to have a baby. And yes, you have each other, but you also have so much love to give. Any baby would be lucky to have the two of you as parents." Haley reassured lovingly.

"Thanks. But if not, I expect to continue babysitting each and every one of your children." Peyton said sternly.

"I don't think that will ever be a problem." Brooke said as the girls laughed before cuddling back under some blankets and with each other and resuming their chick flick marathon.

**Okay, there you go. It was kind of a low-key chapter. I know there wasn't much of a Nathan/Mitch smackdown, but I can't have Nathan and Haley finding out the baby isn't his just yet. And also, sorry about the excessive dialogue. I personally love a lot of dialogue in the stories I read. But this chapter basically consisted of that. I hope it was still enjoyable to read, though. So, let me know what you guys think. I should have another chapter up, hopefully, sometime this weekend. Until then!**


	36. Chapter 36

It's been five days since Nathan and Haley talked to their lawyer about gaining custody of Nathan and Rachel's baby. They haven't received word yet from Micheal about a court hearing, and they couldn't control the nerves they were both feeling. They decided to take a day and relax. Nathan took the day off of work, and Deb offered to watch Lexie for the whole day. Nathan and Haley were currently in the living room watching a movie. Nathan was at one side of the couch sitting upright with his feet popped out resting on the coffee table. Haley was laying flat on her back with her feet resting in Nathan's lap. She felt completely relaxed as he rubbed her feet. She had her eyes closed feeling herself slowly dozing off. Nathan wasn't focusing on the movie playing at all. He kept his focus on Haley. He swore she became sexier and sexier as the days went by. Everything about her made him love her more and more. He heard her breathing become more steady, and he realized she had fallen asleep. He stopped rubbing her feet for just a second as he grabbed the throw blanket hanging off of the back of the couch. He draped it across the length of her body. He, then, went back to massaging her feet and chuckled as she took a breath and moved slightly.

It was close to an hour later that he found himself dozing off as well. He had his head resting against the couch and just as his eyes closed, a loud knock at the door startled him right back awake. He looked to his left and saw that Haley was still soundly sleeping. He carefully stood up and gently placed her feet on the area he was sitting before making his way towards the foyer. He opened the door to see a furious Rachel on the other side.

"What the hell is this, Nathan?" Rachel exclaimed holding up what he presumed to be a court order. "Is this seriously what I think it is?" She continued.

"Yes, it is." He answered defiantly.

"How could you do this to me? How could you take my child away from me?" She asked.

"Oh, come off it, Rachel. You don't give a damn about this baby." He countered.

"How could you say that? Of course, I care about him. He's a combination of you and me." She said.

"You're so full of it! What are you more angry about? The fact that I'm trying to take your baby or the fact that I'm doing this without you. I know what all of this was about-you getting pregnant. It was your way of worming your way into my life and into my money. Right?" He challenged.

"No, I love you." She retaliated.

"Maybe you do, maybe you don't. What you really love is the money that I come with. I've got news for you, Rachel, I don't love you. I love my wife. And she's the most amazing person I know for standing by me throughout all of this. It's only making me love her more. You may have thought I would fall in love with you because of this baby, but you're wrong." He said.

"You're trying to take my child away from me, Nathan." She said.

"But it's my child, too. Isn't that what you wanted-me finally claiming this child as mine?" He said and watched the way her face fell slightly. "I'm sorry, Rachel. I would never dream of doing this to anyone, but I have a legal right to this baby. And I want him. Haley and I want him. We want to be a family with him." He continued.

"And what about me? I'm his mother-not Haley." She bit out.

"Only by blood. Haley will be more of a mother than you will ever be. Unlike you, she cares about this baby. She cares about other people other than just herself. She isn't selfish. And she isn't malicious. And she's everything I want and love." He retorted.

"I haven't done anything malicious." She said.

"Oh really? That's funny. You know I could make a huge list of everything you've done since you graced us with you presence in Tree Hill, but how about I just stick with the most recent. You know, the part where you drugged me in Charleston." He revealed.

"What? I, umm, I didn't...I..."

"Yeah, save it, Rachel! I saw the surveillance tapes from that weekend. I saw everything that happened. I loved the part where Mitch slipped something into my beer while I was in the restroom. And then, when it show you stepping onto the elevator as you two dragged me up to my room. That was my favorite part." He seethed.

"I didn't do anything. It was all Mitch. I was protecting you from him. I didn't want him to do anything worse to you." She claimed.

"Stop with the lies! I'm over all of this. If I have any say in this, you will never go near my son. Do you hear me?" He yelled.

"I'm going to fight you on this, Nathan." She warned.

"I know you're going to fight. You're going to fight because you want my child support payments, don't you? You're not going to fight because you want the baby. You can fight all you want. Haley and I are not backing down. We are prepared to fight with everything we have." He countered.

"You're going to regret this, Nathan. You and Haley better watch your backs." She threatened.

"Is that a threat? Wow, go ahead and keep them coming. You're just going to be adding more to my case against you." He smirked letting out a sly laugh. He watched as her face turned almost as bright as her hair. He seriously thought she was going to combust at any minute. "Is there anything else you needed?" He asked trying to fuel her anger just a little bit more. She sent him the coldest glare before turning and furiously walking away. Nathan closed the door and turned to walk back into the living room. He found Haley awake and sitting slightly more upright.

"Was that Rachel?" She asked.

"Yes. I'm surprised you didn't come to the door yourself." He said.

"I heard her screeching voice yelling all the way in here. I was too tired to get up. I figured you could handle it yourself." She said.

"Well, she's angry." He said taking a seat next to her lifting her feet up and placing them in his lap once again.

"What else is new?" She countered.

"She actually kind of threatened us." He revealed.

"Oh, really? What did she say?" She asked.

"Nothing big. She just said that we should watch our backs." He answered.

"Well, now I'm scared." She joked as they both laughed. She sat up more and began softly running her fingers through his hair. He closed his eyes feeling himself relaxing under her touch. "Does that feel good, baby?" She asked. Her tone wasn't seductive. It was just calming and comforting.

"Yeah, thanks." He mumbled leaning more into her touch. "How are you feeling?" He asked.

"I'm good." She answered.

"You're not feeling sick or anything?" He questioned.

"No, I'm not feeling sick, Nathan." She laughed. "I actually feel kind of energized. Let's go out. Let's go do something." She said.

"Okay, like what?" He asked.

"I don't know. I don't know what I want to do. I just know I want to get out of this house." She said.

"How about we go on a date?" He suggested.

"A date?" She asked smiling shyly.

"Yeah, a date. We both put on some nice, dressy clothes. We go out to dinner, go see a movie, and maybe take a stroll along the beach." He said.

"Okay. Yeah, that sounds like fun." She agreed. "Let's go get ready. I'm going to go take a shower." She said standing up from the couch.

"You know, we could save time if we showered together." He suggested with a cocked eyebrow.

"Well, that was an invitation for you to join me." She smirked down at him. He smirked right back towards her as they both rushed out of the living room and up the stairs.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Haley found herself in front of the mirrow adjusting her clothes to fit over her slightly protruded stomach. She and Nathan finished their shower fifteen minutes ago. Nathan quickly dressed and got himself ready and went down the stairs as she finished up. When she finally felt comfortable with how she looked, she headed down the stairs in search of Nathan. She grew confused when she couldn't find him anywhere. She looked in every room downstairs, and he was nowhere to be found. Just before she headed for the stairs, a knock sounded on the door. She walked towards the foyer and swung open the door. She smiled when she saw Nathan standing on the opposite side holding a bouquet of flowers in his hands. "What are you doing?" She asked through her smile.

"I'm picking up my hot date." He answered walking into the house giving her a kiss on the cheek. "You do look hot, by the way-extremely hot." He said and smirked at the blush covering her face.

"Thank you, Nathan." She said in appreciation.

"You're welcome. So, are you ready to go, Mrs. Scott?" He asked holding out his arm to her.

"Yes, I am, Mr. Scott." She answered looping her right arm through his left. The two hopped into Nathan's SUV and made their way to the restaurant. They enjoyed a nice, quiet evening just laughing and generally enjoying one another's company. After dinner, they went to see a movie. Haley laughed when Nathan pulled her to the very back row. Once the lights dimmed and the movie started, the two found themselves paying more attention to each other than the actual movie. Haley felt like she was a teenager all over again. She kept having to remind herself that they were in a movie theater full of other people. She couldn't stop the moan that poured out of her mouth. Luckily, it occurred at a loud part of the movie. She made sure to control herself after that one. The last thing she wanted was for them to get caught going at it like a couple of horny teenagers. However, that didn't stop her from moving her hand that was placed on his cheek down his chest not stopping there.

Nathan about lost it when he felt Haley's hand brush up against his hard erection. He felt her unbuckling his belt and couldn't help but wonder what the hell she was doing. Of course, he wasn't about to stop her. He was in desperate need of a release, and he was more than willing to let her continue whatever it was she was trying to do. His breaths became more labored when he felt her unbotton and unzip his pants. In an instant, he felt her small, soft hand wrap around him and slowly start to work him over. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as he tried to contain his moans. He cupped her cheeks and forced her back to him in a heated kiss. His tongue outlined her lips, and she quickly granted him access by opening her mouth up to him.

Haley didn't know what had come over her. This was very uncharacteristic of her. Sure, she's dragged him into the bathroom at Tric for a quickie once, but they were still alone. The door was locked, and they knew nobody could get in. But this was a public place full of people, and here she was giving her husband a handjob. She couldn't stop herself, though. She knew they couldn't have sex in here. That would be kind of hard and awkward with her pregnancy. But aside from that, she knew she wasn't bold enough to do that. But that didn't mean she couldn't make her husband feel good. She wanted to show him how much she loves him and appreciates what he did for her tonight. And she knew he was enjoying it. She felt his tongue brush against hers and fought the urge to control her own moan. She felt his hands move down to her thighs and grip her tightly through her jeans. She knew he was close, and she kissed him harder to keep him from moaning out in pleasure. A second later, she felt him come inside her hand as his body began to relax next to her. She smiled against his lips before breaking apart and grabbing a napkin around her drink and cleaned him, as well as her, up. Once she was done, she looked up to him and smiled.

Nathan couldn't help but lean in and kiss her once more. Not when she looks up at him with those big, beautiful brown eyes full of love and innocence. "I love you." He whispered against her mouth.

"I love you, too." She returned.

"That was amazing. You are amazing, baby." He said.

"Well, that's true." She smirked. "Hey, look, the movie's over." She stated pointing towards the screen scrolling through the credits.

"I guess it is." He said. They watched as the rest of the people walked by them out of the theater. He made sure he was completely put together and stood up. He offered out his hand and helped her up before leading them out of the theater as well.

"Did you enjoy the movie?" She smirked leaning into his side as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"Oh, very much. You?" He asked.

"As long as you enjoyed it, I enjoyed it." She answered. They both let out a chuckle while walking out of the theater completely. "So, what do you want to do now?" She asked as they climbed into the SUV.

"Well, we could go for a walk. Or we could go home, and I can show you how much I enjoyed the movie." He suggested.

"I like the way you think, Mr. Scott." She said.

"To which part?" He joked.

"If you even have to ask, then, we're going to have a problem." She countered teasingly. He smiled at her as he pulled out of parking lot. After driving for a couple minutes, they had to stop for a stoplight. Nathan reached over, took her hand, and pulled it up to his mouth dropping a kiss against it before settling both of their hands into her lap. They smiled at each until the light turned green. He pushed onto the gas and began easing through the light when he caught something out of the corner of his eye. Before he could even think or react, he felt a hard hit as his head flew against his window. Everything went black after that for a couple of seconds. He flickered his eyes open trying to adjust to his surroundings. His head was pounding, and he felt like he was going to pass out at any second. He looked over to his right and saw her. She was leaning against the broken glass with blood running down her face. "Haley! Oh my gosh, Haley!" He exclaimed instantly forgetting all about the pain he was feeling. He moved closer to her and cupped her cheeks in his hands pulling her towards him. "Haley! Come on, baby, wake up!" He cried. She didn't budge. He cried harder as he held her tightly, but gently in his arms.

"Sir, are you okay? We called the police. They're on their way." A voiced sounded. Nathan turned slightly and saw an older man standing outside of the car in front of the window. Nathan didn't say anything. He just nodded slightly before burying his face in the crook of Haley's neck. "Come on, Haley. Hold on, okay. Help is on the way." He mumbled against her skin before everything went black for himself as well.

* * *

Nathan stirred awake confused by his surroundings. All he saw was white. It was everywhere. He looked around once more and realized he was in the hospital. "God, I hate this hospital." He groaned still trying to remember what happened. It was then that he sat up. "Haley! Oh, gosh, I have to find Haley." He exclaimed jumping out of the bed. He pulled out the IVs in his arms and noticed his regular clothes sitting on a chair with his wallet on top. He dressed himself as quickly as he could. He had to take a break before putting his shirt on. His head was pounding, and he felt drowsy. Finally, buttoning his shirt completely, he headed out of the room.

"Woah, mister, where do you think you're going?" A nurse said jumping in front of him to try to stop him from going any further.

"I have to find my wife. We were in a car accident." He breathed out.

"No, you need to get back into that bed." She countered.

"No! I need to find my wife!" He yelled.

"Sir, please. You have a concussion, and..."

"I don't give a damn about that! I'm fine. Right now, I need to find my wife!" He screamed drawing the attention of all of the other people.

"Nathan!" A voice called. He looked up and saw Brooke and Lucas rushing his way. He hastily moved passed the nurse and met them halfway. "Where's Haley?" He asked in a panic.

"She's over here." Lucas said guiding Nathan to Haley's room. Nathan opened the door and his heart about stopped once he saw her. She was lying in bed looking completely helpless and lifeless. She had a bandage wrapped around her head and bruises all over her face, neck, and down her arms. He strode towards the bed and bent down placing his head on her chest. "God, Haley. You have to wake up, okay. I need you. I can't live without you. I love you so much." He cried as Lucas and Brooke watched from the doorway crying their own silent tears.

"Nathan?"

Nathan looked up and noticed Dr. Bryan standing in the doorway. Lucas and Brooke were standing off to the side giving him room to walk through. Nathan moved back slightly wiping his eyes. "What's going on? Is Haley okay? Is the baby okay?" He spit out question after question wanting answers.

"I know you're wanting answers. Everything seems fine with your wife. We're just waiting for her to wake up, okay?" Dr. Bryan began as Nathan nodded slightly at him. "The baby seems fine, but I want to do an ultra sound when Haley wakes up just to be on the safe side." He continued.

"So, what? We just have to wait?" Nathan asked incredulously.

"I'm sorry, Nathan, but that's all we can do at this moment. Haley has to come back on her own. There's no telling when that may be. As I said, everything seems fine, but we're monitoring both her and the baby closely, okay?" The doctor reassured.

"Okay." Nathan solemnly said before turning his attention back to Haley.

"Now, in terms of Rachel..."

"Rachel? What about Rachel?" Nathan asked confused hastily turning back to Dr. Bryan.

"Well, Rachel was in the other car." Dr. Bryan revealed.

"What?" Nathan yelled.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Nathan, I thought you were aware of that." Dr. Bryan stated.

"Rachel? Rachel's the one who did this? She's the reason why my wife and child are lying in a hospital bed right now!" Nathan yelled feeling his anger rise.

"Calm down, Nathan. Getting yourself all worked up right now isn't going to help you or Haley or the baby." Dr. Bryan said. Nathan began to feel himself calming down slightly. "Why don't you take a seat?" The doctor suggested. Nathan nodded and sat down on a chair next to the bed.

"Is Rachel okay?" He asked keeping his gaurd up.

"She suffered some major injuries. She suffered a serious blow to her abdomen. She's going to be fine, but she's up in intensive care right now." Dr. Bryan answered.

"The baby? What about the baby?" Nathan asked.

"We had to do an emergency c-section. With the trauma to her stomach, the only chance we had of saving the baby was to get it out of her. It's a little small, and is having troubles breathing on his own. He's up in the NICU on a respirator. He's fine. His heart is strong, and all of his vitals are looking healthy and strong as well. He just needs a little help with his breathing for now." Dr. Bryan answered.

"That's good." Nathan mumbled.

"Would you like to see him, Nathan?" Dr. Bryan asked.

"I don...I don't know. Haley was supposed to be by my side when that happened. And now she's lying in a hospital bed as she and our baby boy are fighting for their lives. I don't know if I can leave her." Nathan cried.

"I'll stay with her, Nate." Brooke chimed in. "Go ahead and check on him. I'll stay right by her side. I'll find you if anything changes in her condition, okay?" She reassured.

"And I'll go ahead and come with you." Lucas said to his cousin.

"Okay." Nathan answered. He turned back towards Haley and bent down so his face was hovering right above her. "I'll be back, okay, baby. I just need to go check on him. You better listen to me when I say don't try anything. I need you-both of you." He said placing his hand gently on her stomach. "I love you, okay." He said placing a soft kiss on her forehead before following Lucas out of the room as Brooke took a seat in the chair next to the bed.

Nathan and Lucas quietly made their way into the NICU. Before they ventured any further, Nathan stopped for a moment to take a deep breath. "You ready?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah, I'm ready." Nathan answered after a moment. The two followed the nurse to where the baby was lying. Nathan's eyes filled with tears as he took a look at him. He was inside one of those incubators connected to a respirator. "He's so tiny." He commented. "How big is he?" He asked the nurse.

"He's about five pounds two ounces. He's certainly a tiny little thing, but he's very strong. Looks can be deceiving." She responded.

"Congratulations, Nate. He's a beautiful baby." Lucas said patting his cousin on the back.

"Yeah." Nathan responded still taking it all in.

"You can touch him if you'd like." The nurse said. "Just put your hands through the holes. It won't harm him or put him in danger of any kind. He's just having some trouble breathing on his own." She reassured. Nathan nodded timidly at her before stretching his right hand into one of the holes and gently stroked the baby's arm. He smiled slightly at the amazing feeling that passed through his body. He couldn't help but think about Haley and their baby right now. He wished she was standing next to him experiencing this with him. He needed her to be okay. He needed her in his life. He couldn't lose her-not now. She was his whole life, and they needed to raise these three children together. He couldn't do it without her.

"Are you okay?" Lucas asked noticing his cousin's somber face.

"Yeah. I just...I just wish Haley was with me right now." Nathan answered.

"She will be, Nate. She will be." Lucas reassured putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

* * *

Nathan and Lucas walked back into Haley's room and saw Brooke still sitting by her side. "Any change?" Nathan asked.

"No. I'm sorry." Brooke answered quietly. She stood up allowing Nathan to take a seat before walking into Lucas's waiting arms.

"Thanks for being here you guys, but you might as well go home. I don't think she's going to be waking up anytime soon. You should go home to Faith and get some rest." Nathan said.

"Are you sure? We can stay as long as you need, Nathan." Brooke said.

"Yeah, I'm sure." He reassured. The three said their goodbyes before Lucas and Brooke walked out of the room. Not even a second later, Deb came rushing through the doors with Lexie in her arms. "Nathan, how is she?" She asked.

"Hey, mom." He greeted standing up and walking over to her. Lexie stretched out her arms, and he quickly swooped her into his embrace. "Hey, sweetie. How's daddy's angel?" He said.

"Daddy!" She exclaimed. Nathan smiled. This was just what he needed right now. He held her tighter against his chest closing his eyes revelling in having his daughter in his arms. He walked back over to his chair and took a seat. "Mommy!" Lexie exclaimed.

"Yes, that's mommy. But we have to let her rest right now. Mommy's sleeping and needs her rest, okay, baby?" He said as Lexie clutched onto him once again.

"So, how is she?" Deb asked pulling a chair beside him.

"She's fine, apparently. We're just waiting for her to wake up." Nathan answered.

"And the baby?" She asked.

"Dr. Bryan says he seems to be doing fine, but he wants to do an ultra sound when Haley wakes up just to make sure everything is okay. So, right now, it's just a waiting game." He said.

"I'm sorry, honey." Deb said sympathetically. "What happened?" She asked.

"A car ran a red light and hit us." He answered.

"Oh, gosh, is the driver okay?" She asked concerned.

"No. She is in intensive care right now." He answered with a slight edge.

"What's going on, Nathan?" She asked immediately sensing his tone.

"It was Rachel." He replied.

"What?" She asked shocked. "Was it on purpose or an accident?" She questioned.

"Who knows? It's not like I can talk to her right now. And quite frankly, I don't want to talk to her right now. I'm so angry and hurt. I don't know if I'll be able to control myself." He stated.

"What about the baby?" She asked.

"He's fine. He's in the NICU. He needs help with his breathing, but he's going to be okay. He's really beautiful, mom." He responded.

"That's good that he's doing so well." She said. She smiled when she saw the sight before her. Lexie was cuddled into Nathan's arms fast asleep while he rubbed his arm soothingly up and down her back. Even after all this time, seeing her son this way still amazed her. He has turned into such an incredible man and father. She was so proud of him, and the choices he's making with his life. She turned her attention back to Haley and her heart broke. She was praying for her to wake up soon. Nathan needed her to wake up. He just wasn't complete without her.

* * *

Nathan was sleeping peacefully when he felt something brush up against his arm. He slowly woke up and saw Haley's fingers moving slightly against his arm. "Haley!" He exclaimed now fully awake. He leaned forward and cupped her cheek gently. "Haley? Baby, it's me. Wake up." He encouraged. He watched as her eyes fluttered open as she looked around at her settings. Her eyes met his tear-filled ones. "Hi." She mumbled out.

"Hi." He cried leaning forward and kissing her on her forehead as she wrapped her arms around him slightly wincing a little bit from the pain. "Thank God you're awake. I love you so much." He said with such emotion.

"I love you, too. What happened?" She asked. He explained everything to her as gently as he could. "Is the baby okay?" She asked completely fearful of his response.

"I'm going to page Dr. Bryan, okay?" He said reaching for the call button and pushing it. He sat back down next to her taking her hands in his. Dr. Bryan arrived shortly later. "Well, it's good to see you awake, Haley." He greeted with a smile.

"It's good to be awake." She responded.

"Has Nathan explained things to you?" He asked.

"As well as I could." Nathan answered.

"Okay, how about we just do an ultra sound just to make sure everything's okay, okay?" He said as Nathan and Haley nodded. Nathan moved to the other side of the bed as Dr. Bryan got things set up for the ultra sound. Within seconds, the baby popped up on the screen and his heartbeat sounded within the room. Nathan and Haley let out a relieved sign and shared a sweet, chaste kiss. Haley threw her head back against the bed as she started crying. She moved her head forward and leaned it against his chest as her crying became harder. Nathan bent his head down and rested his cheek against her hair holding her in a comforting embrace.

"Well, everything seems to be progressing nicely. His heartbeat is normal, and his vitals look normal. Congratulations. You guys were very lucky." Dr. Bryan said. "I'll leave you two alone." He said standing up and heading towards the door.

"Thank you, Dr. Bryan." Haley called out through her tears.

"You're welcome." He responded before exiting the room completely.

"I love you so much, Haley." Nathan said.

"I love you, too." She returned. Silence crept through the room as they just held onto one another. "You know, you still owe me a night of love making." She said breaking the silence. She smiled when Nathan started laughing.

"I guess I do. Well, whenever you get out of here, and you're well enough, I promise to give you a night you won't forget." He said.

"Good. I'm going to hold you to that. I won't forget." She said.

"And do you honestly think I would forget. I mean, how could I forget about making love to my wife for hours and doing things to her with my hands and mouth that should be illegal. I would never forget that." He whispered seductively into her ear. He smirked when he saw the flustered look on his wife's face. He leaned forward and kissed her sensually on the lips. Once they broke apart, Haley scooted over slightly giving Nathan enough room to climb onto the bed next to her. They slumped further down into the bed pulling. Haley leaned into his side as he wrapped both of his arms around her. He pulled the blanket up around them and helped her get more comfortable. Just then, the door opened and Deb walked in with Lexie. "Dr. Bryan told me you were awake. Someone wants to see her mom." Deb said walking closer to the bed. She handed Lexie over to Nathan as he placed her in his lap facing Haley. "Mommy!" Lexie exclaimed.

"Hey, baby. I've missed you, sweetie. Were you good for Grandma Deb?" Haley asked.

"Yeah." Lexie said nodding her head enthusiastically.

"That's good." Haley laughed. Deb sat in the chair next to the bed and watched the three, or four, of them interracting together. She once again found herself watching completely amazed.

**Hey, everyone, sorry for the wait. I just wanted to let you guys know that I'm going through a lot of personal things right now, and I don't know how quickly I'll be able to update. I hope it isn't too long of a wait, but I'm not sure. I just want you all to know that I haven't given up on or forgotten about this story. I'll try to update as soon as I can. I didn't want to end this chapter with too much of a cliffhanger, since I don't know when the next chapter is up. I actually had a different ending for this chapter in mind before life got in the way. Anyway, let me know what you guys think. I also want to say thank you for the amazing reviews, and thank you to everyone reading but not reviewing. I hope you are all still enjoying this story. Again, I want to apologize if there is a long wait for the next update. I promise, I will try to get the chapters up as quickly as I can. So, until next time!**


	37. Chapter 37

**I am so sorry for the long wait! I can't believe it's been like a month or more-I can't remember. I've had a lot of stuff going on, but I feel like I'm back. This story is coming to an end shortly. Things are going to be revealed and wrapped up. Not a whole lot is going on in this chapter. So, please read and let me know what you think.**

Haley's eyes fluttered open as she took in her surroundings. That's when she realized she was still in the hospital. She closed her eyes for a moment. She still had a killer headache, and she was was on a lot of pain medicine. She once again opened her eyes and turned to her left. She smiled when she saw Nathan sleeping on the small couch in her room. He looked really uncomfortable. "Well, good morning, buddy." She said placing her hands on her stomach as she felt Jamie kicking up a storm. "You know, this makes me feel so much better. Dr. Bryan said you were okay, and you did have quite the strong heartbeat. But feeling you actually moving and kicking, makes me know for sure you're okay." She said to her stomach. "You and I had quite the scare there. So, did your father. He's okay, though, thank goodness. I don't know what I would do if I ever lost you, Lexie, or daddy. I love you all so much." She continued.

"We all love you, too." Nathan said breaking her of her thoughts.

"Hey, you're awake." She greeted looking up at him with a broad smile. He returned the smiled and headed over to the bed.

"I'm awake." He said leaning forward and kissing her softly on the forehead. "How are you feeling?" He asked.

"I'm fine. I have a major headache, though. I feel as if I could sleep all day, but I'm tired of this hospital. Can I go home soon? I want to sleep in our own bed. And I want Lexie to cuddle into me and sleep with me. And I also want you to lay down next to me and hold me in your arms." She said.

"Well, I can still do that." He said laying down on the hospital bed next to her and wrapping his arms around her. She laid her head in between his shoulder and his chest while he stroked his fingers through her hair.

"That's not what I meant. Even though, this is nice. I just want to be in my own bed." She stated.

"I know, baby, but you need to stay here for just a little bit longer. But you'll be able to get out of here soon, okay." He reassured.

"So, how's the baby doing?" She asked.

"He's getting stronger. The nurse told me they think he might start breathing on his own in a couple of days." He answered.

"That's amazing." She responded. "What about Rachel?" She asked hesitantly.

"I guess she's getting better. The doctor told me she still has a lot to recover from." He said.

"You haven't seen her, yet?" She questioned.

"No. I really don't want to. Hales, I'm not so sure the accident was an actual accident. She was really mad about those custody papers. And I did tell her about the surveillance tapes. She knows she's been caught, and I think she's scared that we'll actually win this. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think she intended to hurt us or you or our baby. I don't know. All I know is that if this wasn't an accident, she's going to wish she had died in that car." He breathed out feeling his temper rising.

"Hey, don't worry about that right now. I'm fine. Jamie's fine. The other baby's fine. Until we hear any word from the police and investigators, let's just focus on those things. We're all fine. Let's deal with Rachel later." She said trying to calm him down.

"You're right. I just can't stop thinking about what could have happened." He said quietly. "I almost lost you and Jamie. I can't lose you guys. You're my whole world. I love you so much." He whispered against her hair.

"You don't have to worry about that anymore." She reassured him. The two of them just laid there holding one another for the next ten minutes. It was peaceful and relaxing and comforting. "I miss Lexie." Haley said aloud.

"My mom's going to bring her by later." He said.

"Good. I want to hold her." She said. Just then, the door creaked open and Dr. Bryan walked in.

"Well, good morning." He greeted chipperly.

"Good morning." Nathan and Haley greeted.

"So, how are you feeling today, Haley?" He asked.

"I'm fine. I have a headache, but that's all." She said.

"Good. I'm guessing you're feeling pretty anxious to get out of here." He said.

"You could say that." She laughed.

"Well, how does tomorrow sound?" He asked.

"Seriously?" She asked as he nodded. "That would be wonderful. No offense or anything, but I miss my own bed." She said.

"No offense taken." He laughed. "I actually have some other news for you guys." He said becoming more serious.

"Okay, what is it?" She asked.

"Rachel's awake." He revealed cautiously. Nathan and Halay didn't say anything. They just turned their heads and looked at each other. "She woke up about twenty minutes ago. They're running some more tests right now. She's going to recover but it's going to take some time. She'll be in here for at least another month." He continued.

"Does she know about the baby?" Nathan asked.

"Yes, I explained things to her." Dr. Bryan answered.

"Can I ask you a question?" Nathan asked as Dr. Bryan nodded. "A couple, actually. Well, first off did she ask about him? Or did you have to tell her?" He asked.

"I told her." Dr. Bryan answered.

"And how did she react when you told her?" He asked.

"I guess, she was okay. All she asked was if he was going to survive." Dr. Bryan answered.

"Okay. Thank you." Nathan said. Haley placed her hand on his thigh and gave it a soft squeeze.

"Dr. Bryan, can I move around? I mean, would I maybe be able to go to the NICU to see the baby?" She asked as Nathan looked at her in surprise.

"I'll see what I can do. Let me go to the NICU and see how he's doing, okay?" Dr. Bryan answered wanting to give them some kind of hope.

"Thank you." Both Nathan and Haley said. Dr. Bryan gave them a nod and headed out the door.

"Haley, you don't have to do this." Nathan said.

"I want to. Nathan, I thought we've talked about this. I want to see him." She said.

"Okay, I just...I want to make sure you're okay." He said.

"I'm fine. Please quit asking me if I'm okay about everything." She said as he nodded. "Okay, then. I'm kind of hungry. I'm going to page a nurse." She said reaching for the call button.

"I'll just go get you something." He said pulling her arm back. "What do you want?" He asked climbing out of the bed.

"I don't care. Anything with taste in it." She answered. He laughed and leaned forward and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. He told he would be back soon and left the room.

* * *

Nathan walked through the halls of the hospital with some food from the cafe in his hands. He stepped onto the elevator and pushed the button for the third floor. Once the elevator stopped, he stepped onto the floor and began making his way to Haley's room. He stopped short when he passed a room and noticed he was standing outside of Rachel's room. He snuck a peak through the window and saw her laying in bed sleeping. He hesitated for a moment before turning the door handle and walking into the room. He stepped further until he was standing a couple feet away from the bed. He stared down at her and felt so many emotions pass through his body. He watched as she stirred awake slightly. Once she adjusted her eyes, she looked up and noticed him standing there. "Nathan, what are you doing here?" She asked.

"I don't know actually." He said.

"Did you come here to check on me?" She asked.

"No." He said sternly.

"Oh." She stated dejected.

"Was it on purpose?" He asked.

"Was what on purpose?" She asked confused.

"The accident. Did you run through that red light deliberately?" He asked angrily.

"What? No, of course not. It was an accident." She says.

"I don't believe you." He counters.

"Please, Nathan, I would never hurt you." She says desperately.

"What about Haley? What about the baby? What about our baby?" He spits out.

"I would never hurt anyone." She says.

"Like drugging me wasn't hurting me." He retorted. "You're just lucky that you're in a hospital bed right now. I will find out the truth, Rachel. I will find out if you delieberately ran into us. And when I do, you will be sorry." He warned before making is way to the door. He stopped and turned back around. "And by the way, you proved to me how much you claim to care for the baby." He said before walking out the door completely.

He walked further down towards the end of the hall and found Haley's room. He walked in and saw her laying there watching television. "Hey, I'm back." He greeted.

"Hey! Thank goodness you're back. I'm so bored. There's nothing on tv except for soap operas, and there's nobody here to talk to. All of the nurses are swamped. Rita came in to check on me, and she said that it seems as if all of the pregnant women in Tree Hill decided to come in today." She said as they both laughed. "Plus, I'm really really hungry. What did you bring me?" She asked.

"My Aunt Karen's macaroni and cheese." He revealed holding up the bag and smiled as her face lit up. "I know how much you love it. And I also brought you a piece of her peanut butter pie. And a nice, big coke." He said.

"Oh, I love you so much right now." She exclaimed grabbing the bag and the drink out of his hands. She immediately pulled the food out of the bag and began digging in. "This is so good. Jamie loves you right now, too." She says.

"I aim to please." He laughs pulling up a chair next to the bed.

"What's wrong with you?" She asks.

"Nothing." He dismisses.

"Nathan, something's wrong. You seem tense. So, spill." She says sternly.

"I just went and saw Rachel." He reveals.

"What?" She asks.

"Yeah. I was on my way here, and I passed by her room. I don't know what it was, but something drew me in. I walked in, she woke up, and I couldn't stop myself. I asked her about the accident. She denied it. I don't know, Hales. I'm so tired of this. I just want everything to go back to normal." He says.

"When have we ever been normal?" She jokes causing him to smile at her. The two continued talking while she finished eating her food. It was about ten minutes later, Dr. Bryan came breezing through the door again. "Well, I see you're eating well." He laughed.

"Hi. Yes, my amazing husband brought me the best food ever." Haley gushed.

"Good. As long as you have an appetite, that's good. Well, I have some good news. Do you still want to go see the baby?" He asked.

"Yes. Can we?" She answered.

"Yes, you guys can. Rita's going to come in shortly and make sure you're ready to go. And then, she'll take you to the NICU. How does that sound?" He asked.

"That sounds wonderful. Thank you." She responded.

Five minutes later, Nathan and Haley were following Rita into the NICU. It wasn't long before they were standing in front of the baby. "He's so beautiful, Nathan." Haley said.

"Yeah, he is. He's getting stronger." He responded.

"He's strong like his dad." She stated wrapping her arms around his waist. He smiled wrapping his arms around her. He leaned in and kissed her lovingly on her forehead. "Do you know when he's going to be able to get out of here?" She asked him.

"I don't know. It doesn't matter, because then we're just going to have to deal with the whole custody battle. We'll forever have to deal with Rachel. I'm tired, Hales." He admitted.

"Hey, it's going to be okay. Everything's going to be fine. We are all going to be fine." She reassured. He smiled down at her and gave her a sweet kiss on her forehead before whispering an 'I love you'. The two spent a few more minutes with the baby before heading back to her room.

* * *

A month passed by. Rachel was still in the hospital. She was pretty much fully recovered. The baby was released sooner, though. He's been staying with Nathan and Haley until Rachel was released. The three of them have been keeping things pretty civil while everyone was still recovering from the accident. Nathan and Haley were still planning on fighting for custody of the baby. But out of respect for Rachel, Nathan did sit down and talk with her about the name. He asked her if she had a name picked out. She was really quiet throughout the whole conversation. In fact, the only thing that came out of her mouth was, Ryan David. Nathan agreed. He noticed that the only time she showed even a fraction of emotion during their conversation was when she suggested the name. Before and after, she was back to her cold self.

Nathan and Haley were enjoying a day with Lexie and Ryan. Haley was now closing in on her ninth month of pregnancy. She has had a couple of appointments, and her pregnancy seemed to be moving right along on schedule. Dr. Bryan told her things seemed to be okay since the accident. She was healthy as well as the baby.

Nathan was sitting on the couch. Haley was laying on the couch with her feet plopped up in his lap. Both Lexie and Ryan were asleep on a blanket spread out on the floor in the family room. Nathan looked over and saw Haley looking over at Lexie and Ryan. She had a smile on her face while gently rubbing her stomach. "What's my girl thinking about?" He asked.

"Just how much I love our family." She said looking at him.

"I love it, too." He said. The doorbell rang and Nathan stood up. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead before walking out of the room. He swung open the door only to be met with Rachel. "Rachel, what are you doing here?" He asked cautiously.

"I was just released from the hospital. I need to talk to you and Haley." She answered. Nathan hestitated for a moment, but he stepped aside to let her in. He saw something in her face-something he hasn't seen since he was in college. He led her into the family room. Noticing Rachel, Haley pushed herself up into a sitting position. Her eyes immediately drifted over to Lexie and Ryan. Rachel followed her line of sight and smiled softly. Nathan walked back over to the couch and placed a comforting hand on Haley's shoulder.

"I didn't come here to start anything. I promise." Rachel said. She saw the looks on their faces. She saw the scared expressions etched across their faces.

"What are you doing here?" Haley asked timidly.

"Look, I've made a lot of mistakes. More mistakes than I even want to admit to. I guess I'm here to tell you that I'm sorry. This past month, I've been doing a lot of thinking. Sitting in a hospital bed will do that to you. I have put you guys through so much, and I am sorry. I know that you probably don't believe me. And you probably think this is another one of my tricks, but it's not. I don't blame you if you do, though." Rachel began. She stopped for a moment to take a deep breath. "I'm really sorry about what I did to you in Charlotte, Nathan. I'm sorry for causing this problem between you two. And I'm sorry for all of the pain I have caused your marriage. I was wrong and selfish. I was jealous. I know how much you love Haley, Nathan. And I just wanted that. I wanted you to love me. And Haley, I felt like you had taken him away from me. That wasn't fair, and I'm sorry." She continued.

"Are you serious right now?" Nathan couldn't help but ask.

"I am. I'm giving up my parental rights to you guys. I'm not cut out to be a mother. And honestly, as horrible as it sounds, I don't want to be a mother. I felt like this would finally make you mine. But it didn't. Ryan deserves to have a family who will love him and take care of him. That's not me. That was never me. I know there's nothing I can do to make up for all of the wrong that I've done, but I hope this is a start. We'll make it legal. And only if you want me to, will I be involved in his life in any way." Rachel said.

"I just, I don't know if I believe you right now." Nathan said skeptically.

"I figured." She said pulling out some papers and placing them down on the coffee table in front of them.

"What are these?" He asked.

"Those are court papers. They're the custody papers for Ryan stating that I'm signing my parental rights away. I have already signed them. They just need your signatures. Feel free to look through them and read them. I talked to your lawyer already. He read through them and said they're legitimate. After, this will all be over." She answered.

Nathan and Haley read through the papers carefully. Rachel was definitely being honest about this. The papers were completely legitimate. Rachel handed them a pen as they signed the documents. Once all of the papers were fine, they handed the pen back over to her. "You guys should take these over to your lawyer. That way, there's no doubt that they were processed and turned into the court. I don't want you guys having any doubts about anything." She said.

"Okay." They both said quietly.

"Do you mind if I say goodbye?" She asked shyly.

"No, I think that would be fine." Nathan said.

She walked over to where he was laying on the floor. She gently picked him up. He stirred slightly but soon enough fell back into a peaceful slumber. She held him close to her as she rocked him slowly back and forth. She said goodbye before passing him over to Nathan. "Goodbye." She said rushing out of the room. She got to the door when Haley's voice stopped her. She turned back around as the two girls came face to face.

"Thank you, Rachel. Thank you for what you did for Nathan." Haley said sincerely.

"You're welcome. I'm really sorry." Rachel said as Haley nodded in understanding. "I know Ryan is going to grow up with the family he deserves. He's innocent and doesn't deserve me as a mother. You're going to be an amazing mother. I mean, you already are. You're great with Lexie and your unborn baby. I know you're going to be great with Ryan as well. I don't blame you if you can't, but is there any chance you could forgive me?" She asked.

"I don't know, Rachel. I can always forgive, but I can't forget. But maybe the key is to forgive yourself. Grow up, Rachel. Start living your own life, and start making the right decisions." Haley said sternly. She wasn't about to go soft on Rachel. Yes, she was incredibly grateful for what Rachel had done, but that didn't erase all of her past wrong doings.

"I'm going to try." Rachel said.

"Well, you have already started. What you did for Ryan and for Nathan was the right decision. Take that with you and go. You did something positive, and you're starting to make amends. But after this, start with yourself and everyone else. This is over. Just go and leave us alone." Haley said.

"I will. Goodbye, Haley." Rachel said walking out the door.

"Goodbye, Rachel." Haley said in finality before shutting the door. She turned around and rested her back up against the door and let out a sigh of relief. For the first time in a long time, she truly believed Rachel was out of their lives for good.

**Okay, there you guys go. I know a lot didn't happen. And I know that there's still a lot to be revealed, and that will happen. Mitch is going to come back in the next chapter, and the whole paternity of the baby is going to be revealed to Nathan. Everything is going to come out soon. Again, I am so sorry for the delay. And thank you to 23OTHFan and shelleylovesnaley for your messages. It means a lot that you guys inquired about the story and everything. Things are going okay in my life once again, and I'll be able to focus more on my stories. And I know I have said this before, but I'm almost finished with the next chapter in Never Forgotten. I haven't forgotten about that story even though it appears like I have. I'm going to post that chapter tonight. I am doing nothing for the next three days, and I intend to get these chapter out to you guys. So anyway, let me know what you think. And until next time!**


	38. Chapter 38

**Okay, so here's another chapter. This chapter is a little bit shorter, and pretty much everything is tied together. Nathan and Haley finally learn the truth behind Ryan's paternity. The scene in which they find out isn't my favorite. Honestly, I was having a hard time writing it. So, I decided to make it simple, straight to the point. Actually, this chapter is kind of simple, straight to the point. All I kept thinking about while writing this chapter was the next chapter, so my mind wasn't really commited to this one. ****I am wrapping this story up shortly, and I just wanted to have everything settled. So, read and let me know what you think!**

Nathan was in the kitchen making some lunch for Haley and himself. He had just finished feeding both Lexie and Ryan. Ryan was upstairs sleeping while Lexie was in the family room playing with her toys. With Rachel gone, things seemed to be going back to normal. Haley was coming towards the end of her pregnancy. With both Lexie and Ryan, not to mention the pregnancy itself, he knew she was exhausted. He has been working from home for the past week to help Haley and take care of her, Lexie, and Ryan.

"Nathan!" He heard her yell from upstairs. He quickly rushed up the stairs and found her in their bedroom. "What? What's going on?" He asked.

"It's time. My water broke." She informed him.

"Okay. Okay, umm...I just need to get your bag. I need to get Lexie and Ryan ready. I need to get you to the hospital. Crap, I don't even have the carseat installed. What the hell am I supposed to do with Ryan?" Nathan rambled off.

"Nath..."

"I have to figure something out. I could call my mom." He interrupted.

"Na..."

"Or I could call Lucas or Brooke. I just need to get you to the hospital before you give birth right here. Maybe I can call and have Dr. Bryan come here. Maybe..."

"Hello." Deb greeted walking into their bedroom snapping Nathan out of his rambling.

"Mom, what are you doing here?" He asked.

"Your wife called me about ten minutes ago." Deb answered.

"You called her?" He asked Haley.

"Yeah. I felt some contractions, and I called her right away. She's going to stay with Lexie and Ryan while you drive me to the hospital, because my water broke and my contractions are coming closer and closer together. So, if you don't mind, I would really like to get to the hospital now." Haley said.

"Okay, let's go." He said helping her off of the bed, grabbing her bag, and leading her down the stairs. They called out a quick goodbye to his mom and left for the hospital.

Hours later, Haley gave birth to a healthy, 7 lbs 8 oz little boy, James Lucas Scott. She was holding him in her arms sitting on the hospital bed with Nathan placed right next to her. The door to her room opened as Lucas, Brooke, and Deb walked in. "Hi!" Brooke exclaimed.

"Hi." Haley greeted.

"He's beautiful, you guys." Brooke gushed. She, Lucas, and Deb were all congregated around the bed now.

"Thank you." Haley said.

"Mom, would you like to hold your grandson?" Nathan asked.

"Like you even have to ask." Deb laughed as he handed the baby over to his mom. She immediately started crying as soon as he was placed in her arms.

"How are you feeling, Hales?" Brooke asked while Deb continued to talk and admire the baby.

"I'm tired but wonderful." Haley answered. "I'm glad he finally decided to come out. I was getting so uncomfortable." She continued. "Where's Lexie and Ryan?" She asked.

"Deb dropped them off at Keith and Karen's. They're watching Faith as well. It's late, and your mom didn't want to be dragging them to the hospital so late at night." Brooke explained.

"Three children ages two years and younger-good luck Uncle Keith and Aunt Karen." Nathan commented.

"You do realize that that will be you guys when you get back home, don't you?" Brooke smirked.

"Thanks for pointing that out, Brooke." Nathan deadpanned.

"Hey, that's what I'm here for." She said.

"Well, all I can say is that I got lucky. I have the most amazing wife who is nothing short of a superwoman." He said kissing his wife lovingly on the forehead. She closed her eyes and rested her head against his shoulder.

* * *

Three weeks had passed. Nathan and Haley were adjusting to a life with three children. It was hard and tiring, but they had managed to make it work. Haley, Brooke, and Peyton spent a lot of times together. Peyton was all too willing to help out whenever Haley felt like she needed a break. While Lucas and Brooke were named the godparents of James like Alexia, Nathan and Haley named Jake and Peyton the godparents of Ryan.

Nathan decided to cut back on his hours at the company for a few months until things began to get somewhat back to normal. He basically made sure to leave the office by five everyday. He also changed the business hours for all of the employees. He made it a point to make sure nobody ever worked on Saturdays or Sundays. Even with the changes, the company was still running very smoothly.

It was a Saturday afternoon. Lexie was spending the night at Lucas and Brooke's. Brooke had a little girls play date set up with Faith and Lexie. Both James and Ryan were spending the day with Deb. It was just Nathan and Haley alone in the house, and they couldn't have been any more grateful. They decided to spend the day doing absolutely nothing. They had ordered a pizza and stayed in bed all day. Around two in the afternoon, they finally managed to pull themselve out of bed. They took a shower together. They still weren't given the okay to have sex yet, so they just simply showered together. After they dressed, they headed downstairs. Just as their feet hit the bottom step, the doorbell sounded. Nathan answered the door only to find Mitch on the other side. "Mitch, what are you doing here?" He asked. He felt his body tense slightly. Even though, they had pretty much forgiven him, it was still hard to forget.

"I'm really sorry to just show up here, but I have to talk to you. You and Haley. Is she home?" Mitch asked.

"Yeah. Come on in." Nathan said stepping aside to let him pass through.

"Oh, hi, Mitch." Haley greeted timidly as she looked over to Nathan quickly.

"Let's go into the family room. Would you like something to drink?" Nathan asked.

"No, I'm fine but thanks." Mitch replied as the three of them made it into the family room. Nathan and Haley took a seat on the couch as Mitch stayed standing up. "What I have to tell you guys isn't going to be easy for me. I should have come forward with this sooner, but I was being a coward. I wanted to tell you guys, honestely I did. I just didn't know how to." He began.

"What's going on?" Nathan asked with a slight edge. He already didn't like the way this conversation was starting.

"Nathan, Ryan isn't your son." Mitch revealed.

"What?" Nathan asked.

"You didn't even have sex with Rachel that night. She tried, but you were completely out of it. She said that you had passed out on your stomach, and she couldn't move you. So, she found a tape from when you guys were together in college and paid someone to have it tampered with." Mitch explained.

"What the hell are you talking about? Ryan is mine. I know Rachel is messed up, but would she seriously lie about that?" Nathan asked feeling his temper rise. Haley just sat there trying to absorb everything that was being said.

"She lied to you. We both lied to you. The truth is...Ryan's mine. I slept with Rachel that same night I told her about me stealing from the company. She found out she was pregnant and formed this whole scheme. I didn't want to go through with it. I begged her to just put the baby up for adoption or to have an abortion, but she refused. She said this was the only way to get you. I'm so sorry." Mitch said. Before he even realized what was happening, Nathan was rushing over to him and punched him right in his jaw.

"How could you do this to me-to us? How could you do this to your own son?" Nathan exclaimed. He was just about to hit him again when he felt Haley pulling him back. This was probably the angriest he had ever felt in his whole life. So many emotions were passing through his body at the moment, and he didn't know how to control them.

"Nathan, stop. Calm down." Haley urged while still holding onto him.

"Calm down! You want me to calm down! How the hell am I supposed to do that?" Nathan retorted. He snapped out of it when he realized it was Haley who was talking to him. He looked into her eyes before shutting his for just a few seconds. He took a deep breath before turning back around. Mitch was working his way up from the floor.

"I'm so sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen. And I'm so sorry that I didn't say anything to you guys sooner. I was going to, and then I heard about the accident. And then, I heard that Haley had gone into labor. Rachel called me and told me that she signed the rights away to you guys, but legally I still have claim to him." Mitch began.

"Is that why you're here? Do you want him?" Nathan asked. He and Haley tensed up. They have been with Ryan for close to three months. They were feeling so many things, and they didn't know how to react to any of it.

"No, I don't. But I don't expect you guys to be named his gaurdians either. He's not your biological son, Nathan. And I don't want to put that burden on you guys. He's my responsibility, and it's not fair to put that on you." Mitch said.

"He's not a burden." Haley chimed in quietly.

"If we were to give up our rights to him, what would you do?" Nathan questioned.

"I would give him up for adoption." Mitch answered.

"You don't want him at all. He's your son!" Nathan exclaimed. "How could you not want him?"

"Look, I've never wanted kids. And my feelings on that hasn't changed. I'm not ready to care for a child nor do I want to. If it wasn't for Rachel, I would have given him up as soon as he was born." Mitch said as Nathan shook his head. "I just wanted to come here and tell you guys the truth. I wanted everything to be out in the open. What do you guys want to do? We can have this all taken care of. If you want, we can go to the courthouse on Monday and revoke your rights to him. We can go get a paternity test done and get this settled once in for all. It's up to you guys." He continued. Nathan and Haley looked at one another completely unsure of what to do.

"We need to talk about this. We'll call you on Monday. Right now, I think it's best if you leave." Nathan warned. Mitch nodded his head in understanding and quickly rushed out the door. Haley watched Nathan sink down to the couch while placing his face in his hands. She took a seat next to him and put her hand on his back gently. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"No, I'm not. I can't believe this." Nathan responded.

"I know. What do you want to do?" She asked.

"Honestly, I don't know." He said. "What about you?"

"I don't know. But I do know one thing, I love Ryan. I've gotten attached to him." She said.

"I know. So have I." He said pulling her into his arms as they leaned back against the couch.

"Nathan, I don't want him to be put into the adoption system. I don't want him going to some couple we know nothing about. I can't do that to him. And if we give up our rights, we won't be the ones selecting the couple adopting him." She said.

"That's what I keep thinking about." He said as the two looked at one another. All of a sudden, Haley leaned forward and captured his lips in a passionate kiss. Breaking apart when air became necessary, Nathan asked her what that was for.

"That's for not cheating on me. And that's for being the most amazing husband. And that's for being the most amazing father. Whatever you want to do, I want to do. We'll figure this out." She replied as he once again pulled her into him. The two sat there just holding each other as the minutes ticked by. They sat there trying to figure out what they were going to do.

Monday arrived and Nathan and Haley met with Mitch. They sat down together and calmly talked about what they had decided to do. Once they finished their talk with Mitch, they got Lexie, James, and Ryan all dressed. They dropped Lexie and James off at Deb's before venturing onto their next destination. They arrived on their doorstep and knocked while patiently waiting for them to answer. "Hey, you guys. What brings you by?" Jake asked opening the door and allowing Nathan and Haley to step inside.

"We wanted to talk to you and Peyton about something." Nathan answered. Jake nodded and led them through the house. He called Peyton to come downstairs. Soon enough, the four of them were sitting down in the living room. "So, what's going on?" Peyton asked.

"Nathan and I found out something this past Saturday." Haley began before she and Nathan briefly explained what happened with Mitch.

"Oh my gosh, that's awful. How could they do such a thing?" Peyton said.

"We're still trying to figure that one out." Nathan commented.

"I am so sorry, you guys." Peyton said.

"It's okay. That brings us to why we are here. We love Ryan so much. And we don't want him to go to complete strangers. We love him like our own and can't imagine giving him up. We named you guys the godparents for a reason. We love you both so much. And we know that you guys can't have children. We know how hard that's been for you. And we also know that you have been waiting for close to two years on the adoption list. We've talked about it. We know how much you love Ryan, and we would like for you guys to adopt him." Haley said.

"What?" Peyton asked as tears formed in her eyes.

"Ryan deserves two parents who are going to love him and give him everything he deserves. We want that for him. And we would keep him in a heartbeat, but we want to give him to you. We've discussed this with Mitch, and he is completely fine with the idea. We understand if you don't want to. That's fine. We just want to do this for you guys. And this way, we know who he's going to, and we can still be in his life." Haley said.

"Are you serious?" Jake asked.

"Yeah, we're serious." Nathan answered. The room became silent as Jake and Peyton looked at one another.

"So, what do you guys say?" Haley asked.

"Yes! Yes, we would be honored to adopt him." Peyton exclaimed jumping up from the couch and embracing Haley in a hug. Jake stood up as well and shared a short hug with Nathan. "Thank you. Thank you so much." Peyton said. By this point, both she and Haley were crying. Nathan and Jake had tears in their eyes but managed to keep them at bay.

"We have the adoption papers all ready. We just need to sign them." Haley said as she pulled them out of her purse. The four of them sat back down and signed the papers. As Peyton and Jake signed their signatures on the final paper, Haley pulled Ryan out from his carseat. "Here you go. He's all yours." Haley said handing him over to Peyton.

"Hi, sweetie. I'm your mommy." Peyton cried. Ryan opened his eyes and reach out for her finger. Jake placed himself behind his wife as they both started crying.

Nathan pulled Haley into him as they watched the sweet scene before them. "We did good." He whispered into her ear.

"Yeah, we did." She agreed.

* * *

A month had passed. Things were getting back to normal. Jake and Peyton were loving every moment of being parents to Ryan David Jagielski. Lucas and Brooke had decided to try for another baby. After both Jamie and Ryan were born, they both realized they wanted more children. As for Nathan and Haley, they were adjusting to their new life with Lexie and Jamie and without Ryan. Jake and Peyton named them Ryan's godparents.

Nathan asked his mom to watch Lexie and Jamie for the night. He had a big romantic surprise planned for Haley. She readily accepted. Nathan and Haley were currently enjoying dinner at Haley's favorite Italian restaurant. "So, you know what I realized today?" She began.

"What's that?" He asked.

"Our five year anniversary is in three weeks." She informed him.

"I know." He said.

"I can't believe we made it this far. I never would have expected us to be where we are now. Things have changed so much, and I just feel so blessed that our marriage is real and genuine now." She said.

"What are you talking about? Once that Saturday hits, I'm serving you with divorce papers. Our five years are up, sweetie. I don't have to pretend anymore." He joked as they shared a laugh.

"Oh, you think you're so funny, don't you?" She retorted.

"Yeah, and you love me." He said.

"Unfortunately, I do." She agreed.

"So, are you done? I have a surprise for you." He said.

"Ooh, what is it?" She asked excitedly.

"I can't tell you. It's a surprise. Come on, get up. Let's get home." He said standing up and helping her out of her chair. He led her to his SUV. Before long they were making their way back home. Pulling into their driveway, Nathan reached out for her left hand and brought it up to his mouth placing a sensual kiss on it. He smiled at her before parking and rushing over to help her out. Once they entered the house, Haley gasped. The lights were all off but dozens of candles lit up the house. Rose petals were scattered all over the floor leading her to the family room. There were blankets and pillows spread along the floor. "Nathan, what is this?" She asked. She turned and saw him kneel down on his knees. He reached out and took hold of her hands.

"Haley, I have learned so much these past five years about life and love. And I never thought I would find myself so completely in love with you. You are my world. You, Lexie, and Jamie are everything I have ever wanted. We made an agreement five years ago, and I am so thankful that we did. What started out as a means to an end turned into an everlasting love. I gave you your dream wedding five years ago. But now, I would like to give you your dream guy. Haley James Scott, would you do me the honor of marrying me again-this time for love?" He asked.

"Yes! Yes, of course!" She exclaimed as he stood up and embraced her in his arms. "I love you so much, Nathan Scott." She declared passionately.

"I love you, too." He returned just as passionately.

**There you guys go. This story is coming to an end. I haven't decided if the next chapter or the chapter after that will be the final one. I just want to say thank you again for your guys' awesome reviews. And thank you for following this story. I should have another chapter up soon!**


	39. Chapter 39

Haley looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. She couldn't remember a time where she's been so happy. She couldn't help but think about how different her life was five years ago. Five years-that doesn't sound long at all. It's amazing what can happen in just five years. Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a pair of hands grip her shoulders from the back softly. She looked up in the mirror and smiled when she saw Deb standing behind her. "You are one beautiful bride, Haley James Scott." Deb stated.

"Thank you, Deb." Haley said.

"Your parents would be so proud of you. You have grown into such an incredible young woman. You are an amazing mother. You kind of take after Lydia in those ways." Deb began as Haley felt a couple tears fall from her eyes. "I want you to know that I love you so much. And I also wanted to say thank you. Thank you for loving my son. You know, I never once felt guilty for making you guys get married, because I knew you two were perfect for one another. I knew you guys could have a bright future with one another, and you could make each other happy. Nathan loves you so much. I don't think you understand how happy it makes me to see what a wonderful husband and father he has become. He's such a wonderful man, and it's because of you. I never wanted anyone else for a daughter-in-law, and I thank God everyday that our plan to get you guys together never backfired. I love you, Haley." She finished pulling Haley into a tight embrace.

"I love you, too, Deb." Haley said. Just then, the door burst open as Brooke and Peyton walked into the room.

"Hales, you look so beautiful." Brooke gushed as the three friends embraced in a hug. Haley was wearing a simple white sundress. Her hair was swept up in a ponytail with soft tendrils flowing out. She had a white flower pinned in her hair.

"You guys look beautiful, too. I have to say that I have some very sexy bridesmaids." Haley said. Brooke and Peyton were dressed in red sundresses. Haley wanted a simple ceremony, but she wanted it to convey her first one slightly. But this time-it was just family and close friends. There weren't any other guests. There weren't any reporters or clients. It was just about them and their family. "Thank you so much for being here with me." She said.

"Of course-wouldn't miss it for the world. And thank you for the free vacation." Brooke stated.

"Yeah, Hales, thanks. I've never been to Hawaii-well, really anywhere outside of North Carolina." Peyton chimed in as they all laughed.

Nathan and Haley wanted to renew their wedding vows in Maui where they went on their honeymoon. They paid for Keith, Karen, Deb, Jake, Peyton, Lucas, and Brooke to fly out. And of course-Alexia, Jamie, Faith, and Ryan were also with them. They paid for their hotels and anything else they wanted for the trip. They just wanted their families and friends with them to celebrate their wedding. They were finally doing it the right way.

"So, you ready?" Lucas asked as he, Nathan, and Jake were in another room putting the final touches on their tuxes.

"Yeah. I've been ready for a long time." Nathan answered.

"Nate, I don't want to sound gay but I just want to say thank you. Thank you for loving and taking care of Haley. Thank you for being such a great husband and father. And I also want to say that I'm really proud of you. I'm proud of you for the man you've become. You've really grown up these past five years. I'm happy for you and Haley both. You two deserve to be happy and in love." Lucas said.

"You did just kind of sound a little gay." Nathan said as they laughed. "No, but really, thanks. I appreciate it. And you know what, growing up isn't so bad. Haley and my children are my entire life, and I can't even imagine what I would do without them. God, I can't even remember what my life was like before them. I love them so much." He said. He and Lucas shared a look of understanding before embracing in a quick, manly hug.

"I'm also sorry that Dan and Jimmy and Lydia can't be here today-well, any other day as well." Lucas stated sympathetically.

"It's okay. I miss them everyday. But, my mom's here. At this point in my life, it's all I can ask for. And my life is good right now." Nathan responded.

"Hey, Nate, it's time." Jake spoke up.

Soon enough Nathan, Lucas, and Jake lined up at the alter. The ceremony was taking place on the beach overlooking the sparkling blue ocean water. Nathan looked over and smiled when he saw his mom sitting down on a chair. She held Jamie in her arms while Ryan was peacefully sleeping next to her. His Uncle Keith and Aunt Karen were sitting next to her with Faith sitting on Karen's lap. A soft Hawaiin melody began as Peyton and Brooke made their way down the short aisle. Nathan smiled brightly at Lexie as she walked towards him. He noticed the hesitant look in her eyes, and he kneeled down to coax her to walk to him. She smiled boisterously at him and dashed over to him as he swooped her up in his arms. He kissed her on the cheek before turning his attention to Haley. The two locked eyes as she walked closer to him. A minute later, she was standing right beside him. Nathan handed Lexie over to Luke who held her in his arms as Nathan took ahold of Haley's hand.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate the renewing of vows between Nathan and Haley." The minister began. Nathan and Haley were standing facing one another just staring into each other's eyes. They heard the words being spoken but didn't dare to look away. Minutes passed before the minister announced it was time to recite their vows.

"Haley, five years ago today, we got married. And it was for all of the wrong as well as right reasons. I never expected my life to change the way it has. You changed my life. Before you, I was not the settling down type. And I definitely didn't want any children. All I wanted was to run our company and enjoy my single, bachelor life. And now, all I want to do is come home and spend every minute I have with you and Lexie and Jamie. You are my entire world. Five years ago, I gave you the perfect wedding. And at our reception you told me that everything was perfect except for your groom. Well, today I stand before you giving you your perfect groom. I will spend the rest of my life proving to you how much I love you. I can't tell you the moment I fell in love with you, but I can tell you the moment I realized I was in love with you. That moment changed my entire life. That was the moment my life began." Nathan said giving Haley's hands a tight squeeze as she smiled feeling a couple tears fall down her face.

"Nathan, I never knew I could feel like this. I always believed in love and marriage-I just never thought I would be so lucky to have found it. I never knew there was a guy out there who could make me feel the way I feel when I'm with you. Our marriage hasn't been perfect, and it definitely didn't start out with love. The past five years have been rough to say the least, but it has also been everything. You changed my life, Nathan Scott. I love you so much that it hurts sometimes just to think about it. You gave me my dream wedding. You built me my dream house. You gave me the two most amazing children. But the best thing is that you gave me your heart. You let me in. And in turn, you allowed me to open up myself to you. I've found a bravery and a stillness in you. You make me brave. And I will love you until the end of time." Haley said.

"Do you, Nathan, offer yourself wholly and joyfully, and do you choose Haley as the person with whom you will share your life, in laughter and in tears, in conflict and tranquility, loving what you know of her, and trusting what you do not know yet?" The minister asked. Nathan and Haley told him before the ceremony that they wanted to recite the same vows they recited at their first wedding.

"I do." Nathan answered smiling at Haley.

"Do you, Haley, offer yourself wholly and joyfully, and do you choose Nathan as the person with whom you will share your life, in laughter and in tears, in conflict and tranquility, loving what you know of her, and trusting what you do not know yet?" The minister asked.

"I do." Haley answered returning the smile.

"From the earliest times, the circle has been a symbol of completeness, a symbol of committed love. An unbroken and never ending circle symbolizes a commitment of love that is also never ending. As often as either of you looks at this symbol, I hope that you will be reminded of the commitment to love each other, which you have made today. Nathan." The minister said.

"I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. As I place it on your finger, I commit my heart and soul to you. I ask you to wear this ring as a reminder of the vows we have spoken today, our wedding day." Nathan said sliding the band onto Haley's finger.

"Haley." The minister said.

"I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. As I place it on your finger, I commit my heart and soul to you. I ask you to wear this ring as a reminder of the vows we have spoken today, our wedding day." Haley said sliding the band onto Nathan's finger.

"You have declared before all of us that you will live together in marriage. You have made special promises to each other, which have been symbolized by the joining of hands, taking of vows and the giving and receiving of two ring's. May you strive all your lives to meet this commitment with the same love and devotion you now possess. For love is truly the greatest gift we are given to share. Delight in each other's company and never take each other for granted. By the authority vested in me as a minister in the state of Hawaii, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride." The minister declared.

"I love you, Haley." Nathan declared.

"I love you, too." She returned as they leaned in and kissed one another-this time with no hesitations. And this time, it wasn't a sweet, chaste kiss but a kiss full of passion and love. They heard the cheers and applaused from their family and friends as they stayed locked in their embrace.

* * *

Nathan and Haley were currently riding up in the elevator in their hotel. It was probably a good thing they were all alone in the elevator. Once those doors closed they were all over each other. Nathan had her pinned up against the wall with his hands digging into her waist as his fingers gripped her dress tightly. Her arms were resting on his shoulders with her hands cupping his face as their mouths and tongues were fused together. Needing to catch a breath, they broke apart and rested their foreheads against one another. "I hope your mom is doing okay with Lexie and Jamie." She said.

"She's fine. It's not like this is the first time she's kept them for the night." He said.

"I know. I guess I just feel a little guilty for dumping them on her." She said.

"Trust me-she's excited for tonight. She loves watching them. They're fine, Hales. And I'm pretty sure my mom would have made us give them to her anyway so we could have this night together." He reassured.

"Yeah, you're right." She agreed. "So, your mother was totally flirting with that guy on the beach." She said.

"Yeah, I caught that." He said.

"Does that bother you? I mean, to see her flirting with someone other than your dad." She asked cautiously.

"Actually, no. I want my mom to be happy, and I know my dad would, too. She has to move on sometime. She's still young, and there's no reason why she shouldn't be able to have that second chance at happiness and love. It bothers me more just thinking about my mom flirting at all." He responded.

"You are so amazing. Have I told you that lately?" She said.

"No, you haven't." He joked causing her to lightly slap his chest. Before she could retaliate, the bell chimed and the doors slid open. They stepped out of the elevator and headed towards their room. "I have a surprise for you." He revealed.

"Ooh! What is it?" She asked excitedly.

"Yeah, like I'm going to tell you." He said as she shot him a glare. "Oh, Hales, you are the most impatient person I know." He laughed. He lead her further down the hall until they stopped in front of a room.

"Do you know what room this is?" He asked. She paused for a moment before her eyes went wide. "Is this the room we stayed in during our first honeymoon?" She asked as he nodded. "Nathan, this is so amazing!" She gushed wrapping her arms around him instantly drawing him in for a kiss.

"Well, I am amazing." He said as he led them inside. They walked further into the dark, candlelit room. The scent of roses filled the air as rose petals were scattered all over the floor along with bouquets of roses along the wall mantels and on the desks. "I had housekeeping prepare everything for us." He said.

"You never cease to amaze me, Nathan Scott." She said.

I do what I can." He smirked before leaning in to capture her lips with his. The kiss lasted just awhile longer before he pulled back slightly. He walked over to the cd player and pushed play. Haley smiled as she heard More Than Anyone by Gavin Degraw sound through the speakers. He pulled her to him as they began to sway to the song. "You remembered." She said.

"Of course, I remembered. You know, Hales, even though the way we came together wasn't completely ideal, I remember everything about you. I remember every detail of our first wedding. The way Brooke plowed over every other girl during the bouquet toss was definitely hilarious. The way you thought it would be funny to smash our cake into my face." He began as she smirked at him. "The way your face blushed and your whole body tensed when we did the garter toss." He continued.

"Yeah, I remember that, too. I especially remember how your fingers got just a little too close to a certain area of mine." She stated playfully glaring at him.

"True." He laughed before becoming serious once again. "But mostly, I remember how beautiful you looked. I have to admit when you were walking down the aisle, I was speechless. I couldn't take my eyes off of you. You were so innocent and amazing. For just those seconds, I forgot that we were getting married only for the sake of the company. For those seconds, I envisioned me spending the rest of my life with you. And for that brief moment, I believed I could fall in love with you." He revealed.

Haley smiled as she leaned up to kiss him sweetly. "I realized I was in love with you on our one year anniversary. We had just made love on the beach. I woke up in your arms, and I just watched you sleep. You were so handsome and sexy." She said as he laughed and nodded in agreement. "I don't know, I just started thinking about everything. You showed me a different side of you. One that I very rarely saw while we were growing up. You were amazing, and I couldn't help but fall in love with you." She finished.

The two met for a kiss just as the song ended. Nathan ran his hands up her body cupping her face in his hands as he slanted his face causing their kiss to become more passionate. She fingered the buttons on his shirt before slowly undoing each one until his shirt opened. She ran her hands up his toned chest reaching his shoulders before pushing the shirt completely off of his body.

As soon as Nathan felt his shirt falling from his body, he made quick work of untying the straps of her white sundress and watched as it fell to her waist immediately hardening at the sight of her white strapless bra. He pushed the dress further down and off her body catching sight of her matching lace panties. "Do you know how beautiful you are?" He asked breathlessly.

"I do now." She answered seeing the lustful look in his eyes. She didn't waste any more time as she worked on the button and zipper of his dress pants. Once they were off, she felt his hands land on the back of her thights. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist as he lifted her off of the ground and walked them over to the bed. Once they fell onto the bed, their mouths fused together with their tongues instantly meeting one another while quickly shedding out of the rest of their clothes.

Nathan latched his lips to her neck and sucked vehemently on the exposed skin. She tilted her head back to grant him better access while running her hands up his muscular back. It didn't take long before he joined them together as one causing her to gasp in surprise. But once inside of her, he slowed down his ministrations. He leaned his head back as they stared deeply into one another's eyes. She allowed him to take the lead as he moved slowly within her. He placed his right hand on the left side of her face as they just continued to gaze at one another. Minutes passed and they were both about to reach their peak. He leaned foreward and rested his forehead against hers snapping his eyes shut. The sensations he was feeling were overwhelming. He felt her grip the back of his shoulderblades as her breathing increased greatly. "I love you so much, Haley." He breathed out.

"God, I love you, too." She declared before moaning his name loudly finally feeling that sweet release. It was just a couple thrusts later that he joined her. He collapsed on the bed with half of his body covering hers as he buried his head in the crook of her neck. "Happy wedding day and anniversary, Haley James Scott." He said moving to look into her eyes.

"Thank you, Nathan. Thank you for giving me everything I knew I wanted in life but never thought I would have." She said.

"Hey, I only gave you everything you have given me in return." He replied closing the distance between them and kissing her sensually.

* * *

"Hey, dad and mom. It's been awhile, I know. Life has just been so crazy with Lexie and Jamie. Well, we just got home from Maui a few days ago. Oh, it's so beautiful there. I never wanted to leave honestly. I've been a lot of places, but I think Hawaii is my favorite place. It's so relaxing. It was nice because everyone else came with us, too-Deb, Keith, Karen, Lucas,  
Brooke, Jake, Peyton, and of course all of the kids. Nathan and I got remarried on the beach. It was amazing. I wish you guys could have been there.

The company is doing just as fabulous as ever. I've put together a great new design for our new campaign. It's pretty amazing if I may say so myself. It's weird, I never thought I would be interested in the marketing part of the company. I always thought I would like to be leading the whole company. Now, Nathan-he was definitely born to do that. He knows how to run that company, and he does it well. We make a good team. Of course, we always knew we would be despite our differences. If there was one thing that we agreed on, it was the company.

I miss you guys so much. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about you. I always think that there's so much you guys are missing out on. And I always think about Lexie and Jamie and how they're never going to grow up knowing you. But that's not true. I know you guys are looking down over us all the time. And Lexie and Jamie will know everything about you guys and Dan.

I also wanted to thank you guys for making me marry Nathan. Wow, I never thought I would ever say that. I love him so much, and we never would have become what we are now if it wasn't for you guys. When I agreed to marry him five years ago, we figured we would be divorced by now. We never expected to stay married or even want to stay married. But here we are-married with two children. And completely and hopelessly in love with each other. It's been a hard, frustrating journey to get where we are. But worth every second. Mom, you would laugh. Deb and I were talking the other day, and she told me all about how you guys were planning our wedding. She even showed me the 'wedding binder' that you two put together. She said how you two always knew we were meant to be together, and how one day we would wake up and see it for ourselves. Well, you were right. All we needed was a little push in the right direction from you guys. So, thank you so much."

Haley finished talking and just sat on the grass between the two headstones. It was calm and peaceful. She closed her eyes just soaking in the quiet. Her meditation was interrupted when she heard soft footsteps approaching her. She immediately knew who's feet they belonged to. She waited as he sat down next to her and scooted until his side was brushed right up against hers. She felt him wrap his arms around her pulling her even closer into him as she rested her head on his shoulder while he rested his head against the top of hers. They didn't say anything. They didn't have to. All they needed was to sit together in complete silence. Just being with one another meant absolutely everything.

**Well, there you guys go. That's the last chapter to this story. I can't say enough thank yous for your reviews and alerts for this story. I have really enjoyed writing it. A special thank you to Sara1287, 23bNrAuLcEaYs, dianehermans, pnkprincess01, mmjasamjaudia4eva, windycloudcakes, crazy4jacksonrathbone, Frogsmom1, cri d'amour, Scott, duke23, 23OTHFan, oliviaajee101, smp8421, AnthiaB, GossipGirl27, baller45, othluver49, Motolid, shelleylovesnaley, swindellbc, angellmaya64, kaefoster, QueenMelda, DemSam, Brucasforeva03, naleylovepirates, othfan1919, AlexTheMischiefer, girlsjustwanttohavefun, mAu0103, pam211, lenniem, SHAUN BUCK, Mrs Haley James Scott 23, kaya17tj, CoachMom, alwaysandforever1995, naleyfan493, naleylove24, paigematthewsfan21, naley12, GottaluvNaley, eatmysnot, RICE20, ScRuPuLoUs, Lnbizier96, smgtweety, kutekim10, Alison-Gilmore, Jorde714, supernatural13, rita louise evans, dancinfeet89, C.W.-944, AC23, J. Caroline, Gear's Girl, insanebeauty, Khsgirls123, xoxbbyelliexox for taking the time to review for this story. I appreciated whatever kind of words you guys had to say.**

**Also because I am such a nerd and have had a lot of time on my hands this past week, I made a video to go along with this story. If you want to take the time to check it out, go to my profile and click on my homepage. There's a link for megaupload. I will warn you that it was taking a few minutes to download when I tested it. And I will also warn you that the video is kind of long (I think it's about 18 minutes! I got a little carried away.). Some things were altered a bit for obvious reason since it didn't really happened on the actual show. It's not the greatest, but I think it's kind of cute.**

**Again, thank you so much for following this story. I should have Never Forgotten completed soon as well. I am also starting to write another story. I have a couple ideas in mind, I'm just trying to figure out which one I want to go with first. So, thanks and until next time!**


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